Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
(The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle)
Quevega and Honeysuckle, the only winners older than 7 yrs, had won it previously.
Apples Jade and Lossiemouth, the last two 5 yr old winners. Both ran in the Triumph, both were G1 winners.
Lossiemouth and Whiteoak 2008. only two not to have won over 2m 4f
Black Tears 2021 only winner to come from the Mares Novice
14 of the 17 winners already placed at least in an open Graded race
13 of the 17 won last time out
No winner of this began their career on the Flat in GB or Ireland
Seven of the 17 had at least 6lb in hand on handicap ratings.
Willie Mullins has trained 10 of the last 16 winners (and Benie Des Dieux F). Lossiemouth was WPM's first winner since 2018
Of those win or placed in last 16, only Black Tears 2021 wore headgear
15 of the last 16 winners all came from the front four in the market
Six of the last nine clear favourites beaten, biggest price of those six was - 6/4.
14 of the 17 BHA rated at least 147
15 of the 17 had won against geldings
Three GB trained placed in the last five renewals.
Summary
Race Distance - 2 miles and abt 4 furlongs. A page that used to not take much updating over the years but Lossiemouth was WPMs first winner in six and he had nothing placed in 2023 or 2022. Quevega won it a lot, Annie Power and Benie Des Dieux would have hacked home, Vroum Vroum Mag had a leisurely stretch in 2016. In 2017 Apples Jade just beat off Vroum Vroum and Limini. In 2018 Apples Jade surprisingly turned over by Benie Des Dieux. Nightmare for Ruby in 2019. Lots of stables involved nowadays
Winner and all placed horses previously won over at least 2 and a half miles unless short priced jolly. Irish trained will get placed as well. Winner or placed unlikely to be wearing headgear. Didn't start career on GB and Ire Flat. G2 placed form in open company becoming a must. Check Quevega Hurdle Punchestown 20th Feb. Horses get placed in this more than once. 140+ rating but unlikely to help.
Honours Board
Year ||| Form ||| Winner ||| Age ||| OR ||| SP ||| Trainer ||| Jockey ||| Runners ||| Last race (No of days)
2024 ||| 1 ||| Lossiemouth ||| 5 ||| 155 ||| 8/13F ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| P Townend ||| 11 ||| 1st G2 Cheltenham 2m (45)
2023 ||| 32 ||| Honeysuckle ||| 9 ||| 159 ||| 9/4jtF ||| H de Bromhead (IRE) ||| R Blackmore ||| 9 ||| 2nd G1 Irish Champion (37)
2022 ||| 371P1 ||| Marie's Rock ||| 7 ||| 140 ||| 18/1 ||| N Henderson ||| N de Boinville ||| 12 ||| 1st Warwick M Listed 2m 5f (31)
2021 ||| 331 ||| Black Tears ||| 7 ||| 148 ||| 11/1 ||| D Foster (IRE) ||| J Kennedy ||| 11 ||| 1st G3 Punch Quevega Hdle (15)
2020 ||| 111 ||| Honeysuckle ||| 6 ||| 158 ||| 9/4 ||| H de Bromhead (IRE) ||| R Blackmore ||| 9 ||| 1st G1 Leop Irish Champion (38)
2019 ||| 3 ||| Roksana ||| 7 ||| 142 ||| 10/1 |||D Skelton ||| H Skelton ||| 14 ||| 3rd Listed Sandown Contenders 2m (38)
2018 ||| 11 ||| Benie des Dieux ||| 7 ||| 147 ||| 9/2 ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| R Walsh ||| 9 ||| 1st Listed Naas Opera Hat M Ch 2m (31)
2017 ||| 12212 ||| Apple's Jade||| 5 ||| 153 ||| 7/2 ||| G Elliott (IRE)||| B Cooper ||| 17 ||| 2nd Listed M F'house Quevega Hdle (20)
2016 ||| 111 ||| Vroum Vroum Mag ||| 7 ||| 154 ||| 4/6F ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| R Walsh ||| 19 ||| 1st G2 M Ascot Warfield Hdle 3m (52)
2015 ||| 47521 ||| Glens Melody ||| 7 ||| 150 ||| 6/1 ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| P Townend ||| 15 ||| 1st Listed M Warwick Hdle 2m 5f (31)
Evidence
First run 2008. Upgraded to Grade 1 in 2015.
TRIP - Lossiemouth, Whiteoak 2008, L'Unique 2014 and Legacy Gold 2016 only all the other 44 win and placed had previously won over at least 2 and 1/2 miles. Whiteoak had been winner last time out and had placed form in a G2 Novice hurdle. Lossiemouth had won the Triumph, L'Unique had won a 4yr G1 at Aintree. Legacy Gold a Listed bumper winner,
Lossiemouth Quevega 2009 (her first win), and Apples Jade 2017 are the last five yr olds to have won this. Quevega came here from winning an open 12k 2m 4f hurdle at Punchestown Feb on 18th Feb, Apples Jade had won the Hattons Grace as a four year old. Lossiemouth jogged the International on Cheltenham Trials Day. Apples Jade 2nd in a Triumph, Lossiemouth won hers.
Whiteoak, a five yr old, held on to win the inaugural running when Refinement pulled herself up in the final furlong. Seems a long time ago. A winner for D McCain.
Quevega hacked home 6 times between 2009 and 2014, her final win achieved as a 10 yr old. A fantastic training performance. 'In command' was the phrase used about her in RP race notes 2014. Exactly the same phrase used about the racing positions of Annie Power and Benie Des Dieux before misfortune befell both at the last hurdle in 2015 and 2019 respectively. 'In command' would describe Quevega's relationship with this race. In '09 she had won last time out, '10 she won by 4l after returning from injury. In 2011, on her first run for 327 days, she wins by 10l and in my view more checks should have been carried out to prove that she hadn't joined in at halfway. In 2012 it was only 313 days off so the rest of them decided to jog for over 2 miles and sprint up the hill. She wins by 4 lengths. 'Readily' was an understatement. I did suggest in 2013 that 'Maybe they should tie her back legs together and start her pointing in the opposite direction'. Well, she got hampered, shuffled back and nearly fell on the flat at the top of the hill. She touched 4s with Betfair, and still won, 'going away'. Finished like Nijinsky (relatively) over the final 3 furlongs. In 2014 it did look for a split second that Glens Melody might have got away from her as they came round the corner. Yes, for a split second.
In 2014 Quevega was rated 167, 22lbs higher than the second top rated Cockney Sparrow on 145.
They all carry 11st 5lb.
AGE - Honeysuckle at 9 yrs joined Quevega at 8, 9 and 10 to be the only winners older than 7 yrs. Both previous winners. Telmesomethingirl is 10yrs old. 2nd last year.
Ratings - As seen from the Board above - Last year Lossiemouth was 3lb clear of Echoes In rain who might as well not have bothered. 6lbs clear of the rest. 2023 Honeysuckle was rated 6lb clear. In 2022 Marie's Rock was the third lowest rated of the 12 on 140, joint top rated were two unplaced from WPM, Stormy Ireland and Echoes In Rain. 2021 it was Black Tears 148 Concertista 153, 2020 Honeysuckle 158, Benie Des Dieux 162, Elfile 151. 2019 Benie Des Dieux (F) 151, Roksana 142, Stormy Ireland 148. 2018 Benie Des Dieux 147, Midnight Tour 145, Apple's Jade 158. 2017 Apples Jade 153, Vroum Vroum Mag and Limini both 154. Next best 144. 2016 Vroum Vroum rated 154. Next two top rated Bitofapuzzle 148 and Desert Queen 147 both flopped. 2015 Annie Power (F) rated 162, Polly Peachum only 7lb behind on 155 and Glens Melody, the winner, on 150.
To summarise, seven of the 17 winners plus Annie Power (F) had at least 6lbs in hand on the field. Benie (F) had 3 lbs.
14 of the 17 BHA rated at least 147. The exceptions were Whiteoak 129 (Refinement pulled herself up), Roksana 142 (Annie Power at the last), Maries Rock 140, (Telmesomethinggirl BD two out when cantering). Just thinking out loud.
Irish trained - Seven of the 11 last year, five of the nine 2023, seven of the 12 runners 2022, best then were Queens Brook 2nd, Mrs Milner 3rd. That makes it 14 wins, nine runners up, 11 thirds and three fourths from a total of 89 runners. W Mullins has ten wins but only Lossiemouth of the last six. 2021, Black Tears, in the care of Denise Foster, nutted Willie's Concertista on the line. Honeysuckle in 2020 was Henry de Bromhead's first ever runner in the race. Last year he had 2nd, 3rd an 4th home. July Flower.
N Henderson and Dan Skelton (fortunate) only GB trainers to take this since Donald McCain won the very first one in 2008. Irish 1-2-3-4 last year. Maries Rock, Love Envoi and Roksana only ones to be placed in the last five.
PRICE - Lossiemouth 8/13, Marie's Rock 18s, Black Tears 11s, Honeysuckle 9/4 2nd fav, Roksana 10/1 4th fav (behind Willie's front three) Benie Des Dieux second fav at 9/2, Apples Jade won as third favourite at 7/2. Going backwards from 2016, the three Mullins hotpots had the SPs of 4/6, 1/2 (F), 8/11 (twice) 4/7, 5/6, 6/4 and 2/1. All favourites. Biggest priced Irish trained winner has been Glens Melody at 6/1.
Lossiemouth 8/13 first of the last seven clear favourites to oblige. That does seem odd for this level weights Mares Race. Vroom Vroom Mag beaten at 6/4 in 2017. Five odds on shots turned over in the last ten renewals. The second favourite has been placed eight times in the 17 races. Not in the last two years. Queens Brook 4/1 second 2022.
Apples Jade in 2017 (turned over at 2/5 Punchestown Quevega Mares Hurdle) only BF last time to win this.
Lossiemouth, Apple's Jade, Quevega and Whiteoak only five yr olds to win this. Apple's Jade and Honeysuckle the only ones to do Hattons Grace double in the same season. Lossiemouth waited a season for Fairyhouse. Apple's Jade the first four year old ever to win a Hattons Grace. Won three of them. Another wonderful mare. No five yr olds ran in either of the last two renewals.
15 of the 17 winners had won against the geldings. 12 of those in Grade 1 or 2. Exceptions include Maries Rock Vroom Vroom Mag and Benie Des Dieux. Black Tears previously 2nd in 2020 G3 Coral Cup. Only Marie's Rock and Black Tears had yet to be placed in any G2. The former came from winning the Warwick Listed, and the latter came here from winning a G3.
MARES NOVICE. Won by Love Envoi in 2022, then 2nd here 2023. Black Tears 4th 2019 then won this in 2021. Concertista won 2020 then 2nd here 2021 at odds on. Enfile 6th 2019, then 3rd here 2020. Limini won 2016 novice, 3rd here 2017.
The Mares Hurdle at Ascot registered as the Warfield has been a fair trial, if not recently. Vroum Vroum Mag won it en route to success here. Three runners in it finished second to Quevega. United and Sparky May won at Ascot before finishing second here. Both Kentford Grey Lady 2012 and Refinement 2008 finished second in both races in the same season. Ran over soft ground in 2017, Le Bague Au Roi won easy at Ascot but disappointed here. Last four yrs no contenders.
Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown 20th Feb saw Limini beat Apple's Jade in 2017, places reversed here. 2016 Legacy Gold has been placed in both, 40/1 here. 2018 Merie Devie didn't come here. 2019 Stormy Ireland finished second in both. 2020 Elfile won at Punchestown, third here. 2021 won by Black Tears. 2022 Burning Victory a disappointing ninth here at 6/1. 2023 Queens Brook won, has been placed in last two editions of this. Hispanic Moon won it last year, 3rd in this at 40s.
13 of the 17 won last time out. The exceptions are Honeysuckle 2023, Roksanna, Apples Jade and Quevega before her second win. She had been 9th at Auteuil the previous summer.
No winner began their career on the Flat in GB or Ireland.
Apart from Quevega, others to finish in the first three more than once are Honeysuckle, Queens Brook, Roksana 2021, Benie Des Dieux 2020, Glens Melody 2015. Telmesomethinggirl may have been. BD 2022.SIRES - The following sires have yet to produce the winner despite numerous representatives. Kayf Tara, Midnight Legend (both 0 wins from 10 runners Youwearitwell last year, last), Alflora, Beneficial or Fleminsfirth (all 0 from 7 each). Marie's Rock by Milan. Lossiemouth by Great Pretender
HEADGEAR - Winners are one from 29 Black Tears 11/1 in her usual cheekpieces. No others placed. Perhaps Concertista could have done with them (pocket talking).