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This article looks at the latest Mares Hurdle odds with leading bookmakers. We examine the prospects for the first and second favourites who are leading contenders. There is also plenty of background information for this race on the Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival. It is run on the first day of the four-day meeting in March. The race has a short history with Quevega a multiple winners.
Mares Hurdle Odds Winner – Favourites 2022
This table compares the Mares Hurdle odds for the winner with leading bookmakers. The Mares Hurdle odds in bold highlight the best odds under the best odds bookmaker banner. The table shows the Mares Hurdle favourites 2022.
Mares Hurdle Tips
Here’s our assessment of how we think the two in ante post will go in the Mares’ Hurdle race at Cheltenham. Both Black Tears and Concertista are well fancied in advance of the race as a clear favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle 2022 is yet to show themselves.
Black Tears
Black Tears takes her place at the head of the Mares’ Hurdle ante-post having won the race in 2021. She beat long-time favourite Concertista that day who looks likely to be the lead opposition once again.
By the time March 2022 comes around, Black Tears is likely to be representing Gordon Elliott having run under Denise Foster’s name last time. Her form is rock-solid and she’s no newcomer to the game either.
The daughter of Jeremy was a solid third in the Coral Cup in 2020. She returned in 2021 to land an 11/1 shock in the Mares’ Hurdle and appears to be improving all the time.
Concertisa
Trained by the brilliant Willie Mullins, Concertisa was a brilliant winner of the 2020 Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle. On the basis of that, she returned in 2021 as the 10/11 favourite for this very race but was just run out of it by Black Tears.
It’s unsurprising then that the same two mares are at the top of the market for the 2022 edition. Concertista has not reached her peak yet and it’s certain that her trainer will have her spot-on to go one better this time.
There’s some argument that she needs very soft ground to be seen at her best, so all eyes will be on the weather when we reach March 2022.
Mares Hurdle Cheltenham Festival
Here is more information about the Mares Hurdle:
Racing History
The Mares Hurdle was first run in 2008 and has been run on the opening day of Cheltenham since the following year. The first winner was trained in Britain but the next 10 winners were Irish-trained. There have been 13 Mares Hurdle races and all but two winners were trained in Ireland.
Quevega won the race every year from 2009 to 2014. She was trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh at those six Cheltenham Festivals. Mullins also won the race in 2016 and 2018. Since the first renewal seven has been the winning most age with five wins. Now turning eight, Concertista and Black Tears may already be statistically beyond the ideal age. It’ll be interesting to see what younger hurdles come to the fore across the course of the season.
Prize Money
With crowds allowed back to the track in 2022, prize money currently stands at £120,000. Mares’ Hurdle winners tend to be very high class, something reflected in the purse which was broken down like this in 2021:
- 1st – £50,643
- 2nd – £19,080
- 3rd – £9,549
- 4th – £4,770
- 5th – £2,394
- 6th – £1,197
- 7th – £594
- 8th – £306
There is generous four-figure prize money down to the eighth place and it is the richest mares only race in the British racing season.
Famous Winner
The famous winner can only be Quevega who won the Mares Hurdle in six successive years. In some races, she was not going well and struggled to stay with the leaders. However, from 2009 to 2014 she came through and found a way to win the race. It was a great achievement for Mullins to get the horse to Cheltenham in peak condition over this spell.
No other horse has won so many of the same Grade 1 race in the UK and Ireland. Quevega was aged 5 to 10 in those six winning years. Her achievement in winning a race six times in six years is unlikely to be matched or beaten. The sport and Cheltenham have become more competitive in recent years.
No mare could likely match Quevega’s exploits. One famous winner since her time however was the excellent Honeysuckle in 2020. As of the end of the 2020/21 season, she remained unbeaten in a career that now includes a famous Champion Hurdle win.
Records
The record is dominated by Quevega. She is the only multiple winner and won six Mares Hurdles in six years. Mullins is the leading trainer and Walsh is the leading jockey and that is purely down to Quevega’s winning run. The combination was involved in each of those six years.
No other jockey has won the race more than once and Mullins is the only multiple winning trainer. Obviously, Quevega’s owner has won the race more times than anyone else. She was usually prominent in the Mares Hurdle odds.
Mares Hurdle – FAQs
Here are the answers to some common questions related to the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham:
What Time is the Mares Hurdle Cheltenham 2022?
The 2022 Cheltenham Fesitval line-up is not agreed yet. It is likely however that the Mares’ Hurdle will keep its place as the fifth race on the opening day, run at 3.40pm in 2021.
Who Won the Mares Hurdle Last Year?
Black Tears, an 11/1 shot for Denise Foster and Jack Kennedy, was one of the toughest Mares’ Hurdle winners of recent times. She beat hot favourite Concertista on the line.
Which Horse is the Favourite to Win in 2022?
Black Tears is an early favourite to win the Mares’ Hurdle 2022 after last season’s victory. Mares’ Hurdle odds however are very likely to change a lot over the course of the season.
