Brook can be Queen of the Mares’ Hurdle
AFTER winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (4.10pm) eight times in a row from 2009 to 2016, Willie Mullins has been in a bit of a drought recently.
His last success in this race came in 2018 with Benie Des Dieux, but he saddles three this afternoon to try to right that wrong.
Stable jockey Paul Townend has plumped for Stormy Ireland after she landed the Relkeel Hurdle at this course on New Year’s Day.
That was a good performance al- though she might not have beaten Brewin’upastorm if he had stayed on his feet after jumping the last.
A bigger danger could be Burning Victory who won the Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown last month having finished third in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown the time before.
She is a classy mare, as she showed when finishing a close second to Buzz in the Cesarewitch back in October.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the mare that finished second to her at Punchestown can reverse the form in this.
QUEENS BROOK was conceding three pounds to her that day and was beaten just one and a half lengths despite making a fiddly mistake two out.
She has reportedly come on significantly for that run and Gordon Elliott is coming to Cheltenham with a really powerful squad of contenders this year.
This daughter of Shirocco ran a brilliant race when third behind Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It in the 2020 Champion Bumper, so we know she will have no problem with the track.
She looks the best bet in this at 4/1 with Fitzdares.
Telmesomethinggirl is a worthy favourite after her impressive win in last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival.
She also ran well to be third to Royal Kahala in a Grade One mares’ hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, although there has to be a slight concern about the form of Henry de Bromhead’s yard at the moment.
The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50pm) comes next and if the vibes are to be believed then Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior is already home and hosed.
He has plenty of solid form in France and by all accounts the Mullins camp were thrilled with a mark of 129.
Given he could have 10 or even more pounds in hand, he could be absolutely thrown in here, but as we’re yet to see him in Ireland or England, he’s simply not a betting proposition in a race as competitive as this at 5/2.
I think he’ll probably win on the road to bigger and better things, so my strategy is to basically leave him out of the race completely and focus on bet365’s without the favourite market where four places are on offer each-way.
The two I like are THE TIDE TURNS and BRITZKA, who both represent the Elliott stable again.
The former was decent on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott and was travelling like a dream turning into the straight in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival two starts ago before just getting tired.
He was then a real eye-catcher behind Champion Hurdle contender Teahupoo at Gowran Park subsequently and looks sure to go well on his handicap debut at 9/2 without the favourite.
Britzka is another to have run well in better company than this having finished third to Fil Dor in a Grade 2 over Christmas.
He looked a real danger to all there and given Fil Dor is well-fancied for Fri- day’s Triumph Hurdle, that form brings him right into contention in these calmer waters.
The four-year-old wasn’t at his best last time but has had wind surgery since and that might just eek out some improvement at 14/1.