15:40 Cheltenham

Tuesday 16 March 2021

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 56.51s

Black Tears^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Jack Kennedy| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 148| D

11/1

Chased home Dame de Compagnie in Coral Cup last season. Back to winning ways in Punchestown Grade 3 15 days ago but didn't have to be at her very best and that certainly won't be the case here.

Form: 122-331

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Concertista⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153| C| D

10/11

Ready 12-length winner of Dawn Run at this meeting last year and has improved again this season, easily seeing off Minella Melody to win 2½m Leopardstown Grade 3 in December. Hard to beat.

Form: 4331-11

Dame De Compagnie^h³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 148| CD

12/1

Highly progressive hurdler who landed Coral Cup at 2020 Festival. Beat Cornerstone Lad in match on Ayr chase debut/return. Unseated in Sandown Grade 2 since. Open to improvement back over timber.

Form: 1/511-1U

Floressa⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 143| BF

33/1

Winner of Gerry Feilden at Newbury on her return and has posted a couple of good efforts at Graded level since. Races beyond 2m for the first time now. Improvement needed.

Form: 129-142

Great White Shark⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| BF

20/1

Third in Martin Pipe last year. Took a Galway handicap in July before returning to the Flat to win Cesarewitch at Newmarket. Disappointed in Grade 2 hurdle since but not type to stay down for long.

Form: 3083-17

Indefatigable⁶⁶

33/1

Smart hurdler who ended last season with victory in Martin Pipe at this meeting. Operating well below that level in her 2 hurdle starts this winter but each-way claims if back to best. Had wind op.

Form: 2311-36

Minella Melody⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143| D

12/1

Useful hurdler who has found Concertista too strong on her last 2 outings. Ought to give a good account but it's hard to see her turning the tables on Willie Mullins' mare.

Form: 110-222

My Sister Sarah^p⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 144| DWS

40/1

Back to best to win listed mares event at Limerick (22.5f) in October but not in same form when well behind Concertista and Minella Melody at Leopardstown since. Had wind op. Others preferred.

Form: FB-2214

Roksana⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 153| CD

3/1

Fortunate winner of this in 2019 and fourth last year. Better than ever around 3m this winter, winning pair of Grade 2s, and a danger to Concertista if she can reproduce that level back over shorter.

Form: 524-131

Whitehotchillifili²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 136| D

200/1

Overcame a blunder 2 out when adding a listed event to her CV at Sandown (2½m) in January but has since run no sort of race in a similar event at Warwick. Up against it in this company.

Form: 16-521P

Non-Runners

Dolcita²⁹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: F O'Brien J: P J Brennan

Forecasts

Concertista (10/11), Roksana (3/1), Black Tears (11/1), Minella Melody (12/1), Dame De Compagnie (12/1), Great White Shark (20/1), Indefatigable (33/1), Floressa (33/1), Dolcita (33/1), My Sister Sarah (40/1), Whitehotchillifili (200/1)

Last year's Dawn Run winner CONCERTISTA has progressed again this term and can notch a second Festival success and provide her trainer with a tenth win in this race. Roksana, who took this in 2019, has been better than ever around 3m this term and can give the favourite most to think about, ahead of Dame de Compagnie, who is open to further improvement back hurdling.