This race will take place on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 11th March
Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth dominate the betting but are entered in the Champion Hurdle
Kargese and Kala Conti feature in our verdict
Expired
Paul Townend riding Lossiemouth (pink/green) clear the last to win The Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival 2024. (Getty)
The third of four Grade One races to be staged on Champions Day at the Cheltenham Festival is the Mares' Hurdle, which will now take place before the Champion Hurdle. This Grade One has been won by some of the sport's finest mares and two of the best hurdlers in the business today feature at the head of the market.
Here's our free guide to the 2025 Mares' Hurdle, featuring the latest odds, expert analysis and our best betting tips.
*Note - Best bets won't be finalised until the field has been confirmed*
2025 Mares' Hurdle Odds
Name
Odds
Brighterdaysahead
5/4 (1/2 NRNB)
Lossiemouth
4/1 (5/4 NRNB)
July Flower
5/1
Jade De Grugy
5/1
Kargese
6/1
Bar
12/1
2025 Mares' Hurdle Tips - The Top Two
Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth are both outstanding mares. One is a three-time Grade One winner, who has won the Morgiana and the Savills Hurdle this season. The other is a two-time Cheltenham Festival winner who'll be looking to take her Grade One tally to seven when she returns to Prestbury Park in March.
We're still none the wiser as to which race both will run in at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Both are entered against Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle. Brighterdaysahead should run in that Championship race, considering she's won two of the three two-mile Grade Ones held in Ireland this term. Willie Mullins remains adamant that Lossiemouth is on course for the Champion Hurdle too, despite losing to Constitution Hill at Christmas and falling in the Irish Champion Hurdle.
I'd be surprised, and delighted, if both were to pitch up in the Champion Hurdle. However, I could see one of the two taking the easy option and taking on their fellow mares.
2025 Mares' Hurdle Tips - The Best Of The Rest
If Lossiemouth does run in the Champion Hurdle, then Kargese will captain Willie Mullins' assault. Mullins' mare finished second to Sir Gino and Majbourough in juvenile Grade Ones before winning at Punchestown in May, and ran well on her comeback at Ascot in January, despite finishing second to Take No Chances.
A Grade One winner at Fairyhouse last season, Jade De Grugy will make her comeback in the Quevega Hurdle at Punchestown this week, before heading on to the Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins could also be represented here by another Kenny Alexander-owned mare in Gala Marceaux, who could only finish third behind Royale Margaux on her seasonal return at Warwick.
July Flower got the better of Kala Conti when winning the Mares' Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, setting an excellent time in the process. Third that day was Jessica Harrington's Jetara, who bounced back by winning the Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster and she too could head on to the Mares' Hurdle following that Grade Two success.
The leading British contender is Take No Chances, who has enjoyed a solid season running in good quality races and showed great battling qualities to see off Kargese at Ascot. Dan Skelton is also training Nurse Susan for the Mares' Hurdle, but she hasn't been seen since two handicap victories in the winter of 2024.
Wyenot won a handicap over this course-and-distance earlier in the season before winning a Listed race over three miles. While I doubt she'd be classy enough to hold off this field from the front, she wouldn't be out of place in this field. I doubt we'll see Dysart Enos stepped up in trip, but All The Glory and Casa No Mento could bolster the home challenge. Neither will be good enough to play a serious role, though.
Kargese (left) is narrowly beaten by Majborough (right) in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle. (Getty)
2025 Mares' Hurdle - Best Bets
I won't be betting in the Mares' Hurdle until the fields are confirmed for day one of the Cheltenham Festival. If either one of Brighterdaysahead or Lossiemouth were to turn up here, they'd win. They are the only Grade One mares in an otherwise average race. If both ran, then I'd favour Lossiemouth given her course form, but I can't see that happening. Either both will run in the Champion Hurdle, or one of the two will be odds-on to win this contest.
When/if one of the top two are confirmed, then I'll expect most of the other runners to drift. KARGESE (6/1) might then be available at a tempting each-way price, and I'd fancy Willie Mullins mare to reverse the form with Take No Chances over this extended trip.
Last year's crop of juveniles have proven themselves to be above average. Kargese finished right on the tail of Sir Gino and Majborough last season, and looked like she's appreciate two-and-a-half miles when flying home late to strike at Punchestown in the spring.
Fellow five-year-old KALA CONTI (14/1) would also be a tempting each-way proposition. Gordon Elliott's mare beat Kargese in the Grade Two at Leopardstown in Christmas of 2023, but was put away for the rest of the season after finishing fifth behind her rival at last year's Dublin Racing Festival.
Kala Conti made the most of a lenient opening handicap mark to strike at Down Royal on her reappearance, before attempting to give the excellent Anzadam two pounds at Fairyhouse in November, where she finished a creditable second. Elliott's mare has four lengths to find on July Flower from their clash at Christmas, but Kala Conti spent most of that Grade Three chasing an unsustainable pace, whereas Rachael Blackmore dropped her mount out for a late rattle, which obviously paid dividends.
Elliott - a two-time winner of this contest - skipped the Cheltenham Festival last year, so we don't know whether Kala Conti will handle the track. Decent ground would seem to be key to her chances too, but if she is confirmed and the ground is in good condition, then I could see Kala Conti being a live each-way contender.
Verdict
If either Brighterdaysahead or Lossiemouth were to run in the Mares' Hurdle, they'd take a whole heap of beating.
Their presence could see Kargese drift out to a more tempting each-way price and I think she's classy enough to get involved. Kala Conti is the other horse on my radar.
Best Bet1: Kargese 2025 Mares' Hurdle @6/1 at BoyleSports - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Kala Conti 2025 Mares' Hurdle @14/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
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