David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle 2021 Racecard

Name: CLOSE BROTHERS MARES' HURDLE (David Nicholson) (Grade 1) (1)
Start: 2021-03-16T15:40:00
End: 2021-03-16T15:40:00
Location: CHELTENHAM

The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race which is open to mares aged four years or older. The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is one of the newer races at the Cheltenham Festival, first run in 2008 when it was held on the final day of the meeting and run on the New Course.

3:40 Tue 16 Mar DAVID NICHOLSON MARES' HURDLE

Distance: 19f 200y Age: 4yo + Prize: £90,000

ENTRY FORM	HORSE JOCKEY & TRAINER	AGE WGT	ODDS
1 11-41141	1. ANYTHINGFORLOVE T: Jamie Snowden	6 11-5	100/1101 100/1101 100/1101 100/1101 66/167
11-41141

2 P23122-33	2. BLACK TEARS T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	7 11-5	25/126 20/121 20/121 16/117 16/117
P23122-33

3 2/4331-11	3. CONCERTISTA (FR) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	7 11-5	6/52.2 11/102.1 11/102.1 11/102.1 1/12
2/4331-11

4 511-1U	4. DAME DE COMPAGNIE (FR) T: Nicky Henderson	8 11-5	9/110 7/18 7/18 6/17 6/17
511-1U

5 32/132-23	5. DOLCITA (FR) T: Fergal O'Brien	6 11-5	50/151 33/134 33/134 33/134 33/134
32/132-23

6 540-58235	6. EGLANTINE DU SEUIL (FR) T: Paul Nicholls	7 11-5	50/151 33/134 33/134 33/134 33/134
540-58235

7 6/1111-221	7. ELIMAY (FR) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	7 11-5	20/121 16/117 16/117 12/113 12/113
6/1111-221

8 12129-142	8. FLORESSA (FR) T: Nicky Henderson	6 11-5	33/134 25/126 25/126 25/126 25/126
12129-142

9 133083-17	9. GREAT WHITE SHARK (FR) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	7 11-5	20/121 14/115 14/115 12/113 12/113
133083-17

10 11/1111-11	10. HONEYSUCKLE T: Henry de Bromhead, Ireland	7 11-5	4/15 5/42.25 5/42.25 5/42.25 5/42.25
11/1111-11

11 522311-36	11. INDEFATIGABLE (IRE) T: Paul Webber	8 11-5	33/134 25/126 25/126 25/126 25/126
522311-36

12 0-2431462	12. MIDNIGHTS' GIFT T: Alan King	5 11-5	66/167 40/141 40/141 40/141 40/141
0-2431462

13 31110-222	13. MINELLA MELODY (IRE) T: Henry de Bromhead, Ireland	7 11-5	25/126 20/121 20/121 20/121 20/121
31110-222

14 24FB-2214	14. MY SISTER SARAH (IRE) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	7 11-5	50/151 33/134 33/134 33/134 25/126
24FB-2214

15 21121234	15. PERFECT MYTH T: Neil King	7 11-5	66/167 50/151 50/151 50/151 50/151
21121234

16 323-12264	16. RAYNA'S WORLD (IRE) T: Philip Kirby	6 11-5	100/1101 100/1101 66/167 66/167 66/167
323-12264

17 2/2524-131	17. ROKSANA (IRE) T: Dan Skelton	9 11-5	4/15 3/14 3/14 3/14 3/14
2/2524-131

18 351/8-1312	18. THE GLANCING QUEEN (IRE) T: Alan King	7 11-5	50/151 33/134 33/134 33/134 33/134
351/8-1312

19 4151/4-228	19. VERDANA BLUE (IRE) T: Nicky Henderson	9 11-5	14/115 14/115 14/115 12/113 12/113
4151/4-228

20 1316-521P	20. WHITEHOTCHILLIFILI (IRE) T: Harry Fry	7 11-5	66/167 33/134 33/134 33/134 33/134
1316-521P

21 1/22-114	21. WYNN HOUSE T: Alan King	6 11-5	100/1101 100/1101 100/1101 100/1101 100/1101
1/22-114

Betting Forecast : Betting forecast will appear here when available.

The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle was switched to its current position on day one of the Cheltenham Festival in 2009, and was upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2015.

The race is now run on the Old Course over a distance of about two and a half miles (2 miles, 3 furlongs and 200 yards), and horses will jump nine hurdles in total.

Though one of the less valuable Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham Festival, the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle has plenty of heritage associated with it, named as it is after the legendary trainer who won 17 races at the Cheltenham Festival, having also ridden five at the meeting as a jockey.

David Nicholson , who died in 2006, was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons.

The son of Herbert Charles Denton Nicholson (or ‘Frenchie’ Nicholson), who was also a successful jockey and National Hunt trainer, David Nicholson was nicknamed 'The Duke' by one of his father's grooms, and won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Charter Party in 1988 and the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Viking Flagship in 1994 and 1995. He retired in 1999.

The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle has been dominated by Willie Mullins , who is the most successful trainer in the race’s history.

He successfully saddled Quevega to win the next six renewals following Whiteoak’s victory in the 2008 David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, a race that Mullins didn’t have any runners in.

Quevega was retired in May 2014, two months after recording her final win in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle aged 10.

Mullins won the following year’s renewal, though it wasn’t with the hot favourite Annie Power, who was four lengths clear when falling at the final flight of hurdles under Ruby Walsh. Instead, it was the 6/1 chance Glens Melody who prevailed.

The fall of Annie Power was not only a costly one for her jockey, but a blow to punters who had backed her into 2/1-on favourite for the race.

Annie Power was the fourth leg of lots of large multiple placed on horses trained by Mullins who were running on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The first three runners, Douvan, Un de Sceaux and Faugheen, all won, and it was estimated by bookmakers that the fall of Annie Power saved them upwards of £50 million of payouts.

Mullins won two of the three following renewals of the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, with the Gordon Elliott -trained Apple’s Jade the only horse who has broken that pattern.

Apple’s Jade beat Mullins runners into second and third when winning the 2017 David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, but could only manage third place a year later.

In almost an exact replica of Annie Power’s fall, Benie des Dieux lost the 2019 renewal when departing at the last when well clear, leaving the path clear for Roksana to oblige for Dan Skelton.

In terms of Timeform ratings, it usually takes a useful performance to win the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle. The best performance was Quevega’s 2009 win, where she won by 14 lengths from United, and recorded a rating classed as smart on Timeform’s scale.

It’s no surprise that the most successful jockey in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is Ruby Walsh , the number one jockey for Willie Mullins.

Walsh has ridden all-but-one of the yard’s winners, and his record of eight wins in the race is unlikely to be surpassed by any other rider. The only other jockeys to win the race are Jason Maguire (Whiteoak), Paul Townend (Glens Melody), Bryan Cooper (Apple’s Jade) and Harry Skelton (Roksana).

The only other jockeys to win the race are Jason Maguire (Whiteoak), Paul Townend (Glens Melody) and Bryan Cooper (Apple’s Jade).