13:20 Cheltenham

Thursday 12 March 2026

All13:2014:0014:4015:2016:0016:4017:20

Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:24 | Winning time: 4m 3.59s

Al Fonce⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Gainford| T: N George & A Zetterholm| OR: 120| D

200/1

Fair hurdler, successful twice on heavy at Lyon Parilly in the autumn. Ran well under a penalty at Taunton over Christmas but this looks beyond her. Usual headgear removed.

Form: 2113

Amen Kate⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: T Cooper| OR: 125

33/1

Likeable and straightforward mare who tapped into her fairly useful bumper form as she made her first completed start at listed level a winning one at Thurles (2m) before Christmas. This demands another jolt of improvement but she can go on again.

Form: 44-31R1

Bambino Fever^t1⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| C| D

1/1

Winner of all 4 starts in bumpers, notably Champion Bumper and Grade 1 at Punchestown. Beaten only by a race-fit Oldschool Outlaw when clear second on hurdles debut and landed the odds with the minimum of fuss at Fairyhouse. Will leave that bare form well behind and looks the call. Tongue tie on.

Form: 1111-21

Blue Velvet⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins

80/1

Bumper winner who has made a promising start over hurdles, benefiting from both a more fluent round of jumping and the step up in trip as she landed the odds at Punchestown (19f, heavy) 6 weeks ago. More to come (will be a stayer) but down the pecking order for the stable here.

Form: U/173-21

Carrigmoornaspruce⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: D Queally| OR: 132| D

9/1

Useful bumper winner who was an impressive scorer on hurdles debut at Listowel in September. Better form when runner-up twice in graded company since, latterly 5 lengths second in Future Champions Novice at Leopardstown. Has plenty of experience and could be in the mix if it becomes a stamina test.

Form: 321-122

Chosen Comrade⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Peter Fahey

150/1

Bred to stay well and seemed unsuited by the steady pace as she met with defeat for the first time in 19f listed mares novice hurdle at Punchestown 3 months ago. Had looked potentially useful at Limerick and remains one to be positive about, although this is surely too tough at this stage.

Form: 1-114

Diamond Du Berlais^t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

33/1

Plenty of tries without success in France but fetched €160,000 in July and made no mistake starting out for top yard at Ludlow (21f) last month, coming clear with plenty in hand. Could do better and has place claims down in trip.

Form: 54-P381

Echoing Silence⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 127| D

12/1

Confirmed the promise of her debut when landing 12-runner bumper a year ago and made it 2 from 2 over obstacles in listed company at Punchestown in December. Looks ready and able for a higher grade.

Form: 1/51-11

Full Of Life¹³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mike O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 130| D

50/1

Landed the odds at Tramore last summer and back from a spell chasing in the autumn, she caused a bit of a surprise in 9-runner Grade 3 at Down Royal by 1¼ lengths from Carrigmoornaspruce, holding on gamely.

Form: 3P-1421

Future Prospect^h⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: W P Mullins| D

16/1

Didn't go on in bumpers after a win but got her career firmly back on track with a taking hurdling debut success after 8 months off at Naas (2m) 2 months ago, asserting on the long run-in. Task is to build on that now.

Form: 1/1536-1

Jackie Hobbs⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 125

66/1

Dual-bumper winner who had a bit in hand when making a successful hurdles debut/return at Newbury. Showed similar form when fourth of 9 in listed event at Haydock the following month and cemented excellent start over hurdles for latest win back in a novice at Warwick (19f).

Form: 119-141

Kingston Queen^p1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 129| D

16/1

Progressed well in bumpers last season and it's been a similar story over hurdles, no match for Old Park Star here before taking 19f Warwick Grade 2 (beat White Noise ¾ length) last month. Open to further improvement, and worth her place at this level (cheekpieces could well sharpen her up).

Form: 113-131

La Conquiere⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 133| BF

10/1

Useful in bumpers and looked good prospect when winning first 2 starts over hurdles, latterly in listed company at Newbury in November. Cemented excellent start when second to a more-experienced rival in Warfield Mares' Hurdle at Ascot and could be more to come if keeping errors down.

Form: 22-112

Louve D'irlande^h1¹⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Conor Stone-Walsh| T: P Nolan| D

200/1

Met with defeat just once in France (in Grade 1 bumper), switching to Paul Nolan after a successful hurdles debut at Fontainebleau in October. Open to improvement but this is surely a bridge too far at this stage.

Form: 1

Oldschool Outlaw³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott

15/2

Listed bumper winner who had race fitness on her side when seeing off Bambino Fever on hurdles debut at Naas in December, the pair clear. Maintained unbeaten record for this yard with a strong-travelling performance in Grade 3 Solerina 5 weeks ago and demands plenty of respect.

Form: 327-111

Place De La Nation³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Gilligan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

28/1

Not beaten far when 200/1 for the Triumph last year and started this season with 2 wins in thin races. Jumped well but readily outspeeded by Oldschool Outlaw in the Solerina at Fairyhouse last month and hard to see her turning that form around.

Form: 325-112

Scavengers Reign³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: James Owen| OR: 110| BF

300/1

Justified heavy support against her own sex at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Shaped quite well in a handicap at Doncaster last month but this is a very tall order.

Form: 3-2R313

St Irene⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Quinlan| T: Nick Scholfield| OR: 123

100/1

Easy winner of a Southwell bumper on her debut for Ben Brookhouse. Built on hurdling debut second for new yard with an impressive success in 7-runner novice hurdle at Wincanton and took step up to listed class in her stride when following up at Taunton. Lots more needed.

Form: 630-211

White Noise^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 128

40/1

Completed a hat-trick in a first-time tongue strap in 8-runner 2m handicap at Newbury in December. Had her winning run ended but lost very little in defeat (short of room briefly) behind Kingston Queen in Grade 2 at Warwick last month and there could be more to come.

Form: 23-1112

Charme De Faust⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins

28/1

Second of 18 in newcomers hurdle at Auteuil for Gabriel Leenders and acquired by leading connections, she looked a useful prospect when hammering 11 rivals at Thurles (2m) in January. Expected to leave bare form of that well behind.

Form: 21

Manganese⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: David Bass| T: M Comley| OR: 125| D

33/1

French bumper winner who is unbeaten in 3 juvenile hurdles for Max Comley, including defeating Manlaga in a fillies listed event at Doncaster in January. Well-bred mare who will stay further when required.

Form: 1111

Mille Et Une Vies²⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135

25/1

Fairly useful form over hurdles, placed all 3 starts at Auteuil, best effort when 8 lengths second of 10 to Olga de Kiev in Group 3 Prix Sagan when last seen in May. Has left Francois Nicolle and joined very powerful British stable.

Form: 32-2

Forecasts

Bambino Fever (1/1), Oldschool Outlaw (15/2), Carrigmoornaspruce (9/1), La Conquiere (10/1), Echoing Silence (12/1), Kingston Queen (16/1), Future Prospect (16/1), Mille Et Une Vies (25/1), Place De La Nation (28/1), Charme De Faust (28/1), Diamond Du Berlais (33/1), Manganese (33/1), Amen Kate (33/1), White Noise (40/1), Full Of Life (50/1), Jackie Hobbs (66/1), Blue Velvet (80/1), St Irene (100/1), Chosen Comrade (150/1), Al Fonce (200/1), Louve D'irlande (200/1), Scavengers Reign (300/1)

Last year's Champion Bumper heroine BAMBINO FEVER wasn't troubled when landing very short odds at Fairyhouse and with more improvement to come she ticks plenty of boxes. Oldschool Outlaw is the only horse to have beaten her and looks the biggest danger bidding to go 3-3 over hurdles. Kingston Queen was sent off favourite when third to Old Park Star here in December and stamped her class when taking a Grade 2 at Warwick subsequently. She could be in the mix in first-time cheekpieces.