Telmesomethinggirl bids for another festival triumph in wide-open Mares' Hurdle

Tuesday: 4.10 CheltenhamClose Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ITV/RTV

The Mares' Hurdle is traditionally one of the least competitive races of the week at the Cheltenham Festival but this year's running belies the trends of the last ten years.

There have been nine odds-on shots in that time and a 6-4 chance in 2017. That bookmakers are generally betting around 3-1 the field on the eve of the festival's mares-only Grade 1 indicates we are dealing with a different type of race this season.

Telmesomethinggirl heads the betting and probably deservedly so. She was an impressive winner of the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the course last season and caught the eye when a staying-on third at Leopardstown over Christmas.

She was unsuited by the conditions of that Grade 3 and renews rivalry with Heaven Help Us on 8lb better terms for a length defeat, while the winner, Royal Kalaha, followed up in Grade 2 company next time.

Telmesomethinggirl's season has been geared around a tilt at the Mares' Hurdle, but the same is presumably true of the majority of the field.

There is enough uncertainty to consider alternatives at bigger prices as she is the third highest-rated runner (145) in the field, is yet to win a Grade 1 and there are five other course winners to deal with.

Rated 5lb higher than Telmesomethinggirl are Willie Mullins-trained pair, Echoes In Rain and Stormy Ireland.

Mullins has landed six of the last ten Mares' Hurdles and missed a further two due to costly and almost identical final-flight falls for likely easy winners Annie Power and Benie Des Dieux in 2015 and 2019.

Echoes In Rain is yet to run at Cheltenham but is deeply talented. Her Achilles heel remains her ability to settle as she has pulled her chance away over two miles on multiple occasions this season.

She is one of three top-level winners in the line-up but has questions to answer over the trip and the suspicion is she won't get home.

Stormy Ireland is another to win at the highest level. One of multiple confirmed front-runners, along with Heaven Help Us and Western Victory, Stormy Ireland was arguably a fortunate winner of the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day as Brewin'upastorm seemed to have her measure jumping the last before falling.

She is the choice of Paul Townend but there is little to split any of Mullins' three runners as Burning Victory also has decent claims.

The key piece of form could be her Quevega Mares' Hurdle success over Queens Brook in February.

The 2021 Mares' Hurdle queen Black Tears charted the same path en route to festival glory and the pair pulled 11 lengths clear of the talented Dysart Diamond.

Both were reported to have needed the run, but Queens Brook renews the rivalry on 3lb better terms. Queens Brook was closing on Burning Victory all the time at Punchestown and the winner built up quite a soft lead.

She is a tough mare to get fit, according to trainer Gordon Elliott, and everything points towards a career-best performance.

The seven-year-old is on the upgrade and her sole run at the track yielded a third-place finish behind Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It in the 2020 Champion Bumper.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Nolan believes race could be run to suit Mrs Milner

Paul Nolan believes that if Mrs Milner can keep tabs on the speedier types in this race and still be in contention jumping the third-last flight, there will be few mares staying up the hill better than his Cheltenham Festival winner.

Mrs Milner stormed to victory in the Pertemps 12 months ago and, although her trainer is wary about reverting in trip with the seven-year-old, he believes the race should be run to suit a stayer.

Mrs Milner: bids for back-to-back Cheltenham Festival winsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Nolan said: "We were disappointed with her at Newbury, but we've freshened her up since and she seems to be well in herself. The drop in trip is not ideal as she stays well, but there seems to be a lot of pace in the race, so it could suit a stayer."

He added: "Having said that, she will need to stay in contention so, if she can hold her position and not be too far back jumping the third last, she should stay better than most."

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Burning Victory, Echoes In Rain and Stormy Ireland
Stormy Ireland, on paper, looks to be the one as her rating is good enough, the conditions of the race suit her and she loves the track. She comes here in great form and Paul [Townend] is very happy to ride her. With cheekpieces on Burning Victory jumped way better the other day. I think if she gets a clear round of jumping here her rating is going to take a huge jump. She has every chance. A strong pace will help Echoes In Rain to settle but would it be good for her jumping or not? If we can just get her jumping right she'd be fine.

Paul Hennessy, trainer of Heaven Help Us
It's going to be tactical but our mare is fit and she's well. She made the running in the Coral Cup last year because it was a big handicap and we thought that might be the safest place to be. It looks as though there will be plenty of pace in this race, so she doesn't have to lead. I'd expect Stormy Ireland to be handy and Burning Victory could go forward as well. We're delighted to have Danny [Mullins] and will leave the tactics to him, but she's very well and she loves this place.

Paul Webber, trainer of Indefatigable
We had thought about stepping her up in trip for the Stayers' Hurdle but on the ratings it looks more sensible to keep her among her own sex. She's got the form to beat the English horses but has 4lb to find with a couple of Mr Mullins'. She was fourth in the race last year and never runs a bad race at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Marie's Rock
She's done nothing wrong all season and I'm looking forward to running her. I thought she was impressive at Warwick last time and was very strong at the finish. A strongly run race should suit her. There's a strong Irish challenge but we've got to go and do our best.

Lucy Wadham, trainer of Martello Sky
She's had a break since her win at Sandown last time as she had a hard race that day. It looks quite an open race this year and she should like the good-to-soft going as she won despite the ground when it was testing at Sandown.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Queens Brook
I have to say I was delighted with her run at Punchestown as she needed it. I liked the way she went to the line there. This slightly longer trip will suit and all her form suggests she has got a live chance.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Telmesomethinggirl
She's really good and this has been the plan all season. It's an open race and she goes there with a chance. She was very good at this meeting last year, so that experience will hopefully stand to her.
Reporting by Brian Sheerin

Tuesday's Cheltenham Festival previews:

1.30 Cheltenham: 'Jonbon has been flawless' – Nicky Henderson on his scintillating Supreme duo

2.10 Cheltenham: 'We'll see if he's good enough' – big British hope Edwardstone takes on Irish

2.50 Cheltenham: 'I expect him to run a massive race' – who fancies their chances in the Ultima?

3.30 Cheltenham: 'She's actually in mighty form' – De Bromhead delighted with champ Honeysuckle

4.50 Cheltenham: 'He looks nicely treated' – Paul Townend puts up Gaelic Warrior as best chance

5.30 Cheltenham: 'He looks tailor-made for this' – key quotes and insight for National Hunt Chase

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