The top two in the Mares’ Hurdle will go head to head on Cheltenham Trials Day.
Although many races in the Jump season could be seen as trials for the Cheltenham Festival, none are closer aligned than Cheltenham Trials Day itself.
Held this Saturday, Cheltenham Trials Day is the last day of racing at Prestbury Park prior to March’s Festival and a final chance for fans to verify a horse’s suitability to the track.
Last year, Stage Star won on Trials Day before following up in the Turners while cross country winner Delta Work and Champion Chase winner Energumene were both beaten into 3rd on Trials Day before going two better in March. Regardless, it seems almost inevitable that Trials Day will unravel future Festival winners and in that sense, it really is appropriately named.
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Cheltenham Trials Day Entries
Mares’ Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth (5/2) and 2nd favourite Gala Marceau (6/1) have both been given entries in the Unibet Hurdle on trials day. Also given an entry into the race is Champion Hurdle hopeful Impaire Et Passe who is now as big as 12/1 to dethrone Constitution Hill after two defeats last month.
Triumph Hurdle favourites Burdett Road (4/1) and Sir Gino (6/1) have been given entries in the Grade 2 Finesse, the juvenile contest that kicks off trials day, whilst James Owen has also given Burdett Road an entry himself into the Unibet Hurdle.
Grand National hero, Noble Yeats, has been given an entry into the Cleeve Hurdle alongside Paisley Park, Marie’s Rock, West Balboa and last year’s Stayers Hurdle 2nd, Dashel Drasher. Currently, all the above are available at double figure prices for Festival, and will be hoping to change that come Saturday.
The Grade 2 Cotswold Chase sees Aintree Bowl runner-up Ahoy Senor, Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino, Betfair Chase winner Royal Pagaille all entered. Alongside those are last year’s Brown Advisory winner, The Real Whacker as well as the novice Stay Away Fay. No horse entered is available at shorter than 33/1 for the Gold Cup, something connections of each will hope to change at the weekend.
Finally, Jonbon is entered in the rearranged Clarence House Chase without his rival El Fabiolo, guaranteeing his odds on Saturday to be woefully short. As such, he would have to be hugely impressive to have any sort of impact on March’s Champion Chase market.
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Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle 2024 Odds
| Name | Best Odds | Worst Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 5/2 | 2/1 |
| Gala Marceau | 6/1 | 5/1 |
| Ashroe Diamond | 7/1 | 5/1 |
| Love Envoi | 10/1 | 8/1 |
| Echoes In Rain | 14/1 | 10/1 |
Cheltenham Trials Day Date & Start Time
Cheltenham Trials Day will take place on Saturday 27th January with racing commencing at 12.40 and the final race scheduled to be run at 4.10. Coverage will be broadcast live on ITV.
Cheltenham Trials Day Tips
Three of the first four home in Ascot’s Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle had their ages in the double figures and that was a race run in December, just before their official birthday on January 1st. It can be said, therefore, that the English staying hurdle division is weak and there for the taking.
Although I thought the mantle may picked up by the disappointing Marie’s Rock, she cannot be entirely ruled out yet. However, I fancy Emmet Mullins’ NOBLE YEATS (33/1) to establish himself as a genuine Stayers’ Hurdle contender with victory on Saturday.
After winning the Grand National at 50/1 on Sam Waley-Cohen’s final ride, the son of Yeats has proven that to be no fluke. Victory in the Grade 2 Many Clouds chase was followed up by a close 3rd in the Cotswold Chase on this card last year. With the Grand National in mind, he seemed patiently ridden out the back behind front running winner Ahoy Senor.
Nevertheless, his keeping on third was promising enough to send him off at 14/1 for Cheltenham’s showcase in March, a race he actually finishing a staying on 4th. He filled the same position in the Grand National off 11st 11lb but I’d argue that performance was mightily impressive. He gave 11lb to National Hunt Chase winner Gaillard Du Mesnil, amongst the favourites for this year’s renewal, and was only beaten just over a length.
Whereas he was beaten less than nine lengths by Corach Rambler, despite giving him 20lbs in weight. This is also a race run just weeks after the Gold Cup, a race which yielded a next time out defeat for winner Galopin Des Champs, as well as 2nd placed Bravemansgame and 3rd placed Conflated.
He is race fit after running over an inadequate 2m 4f at Limerick over Christmas and with course form in the bag, no qualms about his stamina, and the eradication of his jumping mistakes holding him back, as was the case in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he can identify himself as a Stayers’ Hurdle contender on Saturday.
