Quevega wins back to back mare's Hurdles

The online firm are offering the biggest price around on the Willie Mullins-trained Quevega, a hurdler who won the corresponding race last year. Quevega has received a boost in her bid for back-to-back successes with the news that market rival Voler La Vedette will not be running in the Mares Hurdle year.

On the downside, Quevega has been off the track since April 2010 so her fitness for the race will have to be taken on trust, though to be fair to Mullins, Quevega won the Mares Hurdle last year in similar circumstances.”

Best Industry Prices….

David Nicholson Mares Hurdle – prices from StanJames.com

5/4 Quevega (best industry price)
6/1 Sparky May
7/1 Tarla
10/1 Our Girl Salley
14/1 Morning Supreme
14/1 Morning Supreme
16/1 Carole’s Legacy
16/1 Macville
20/1 bar

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

I will be absolutely gob smacked if this doesn’t go to an Irish trained runner. Quevega is looking to win back to back David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle titles but has an amazing mare called Voler La Vedette standing in her way.

As I said when previewing the Champion Hurdle she absolutely hammered Go Native, which can be taken many ways but along with her unbeaten record shows that this is a very good mare. She would be my best bet of the day, including Dunguib in the first!

This is a great race and I do not expect Quevega to give up her crown easily. I am hugely encouraged that Barry Geraghty rides Voler La Vedette. She was considered for The Champion Hurdle, for me this is the right decision and think she is an absolute shoe in for The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle and will deny Quevega a historic double.

David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle betting advice;

• Voler La Vedette, Win (NAP)

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Quevega

The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle was added to the line-up in 2008 and among the 31 entered for this year’s renewal is last year’s runaway winner Quevega, trained by Willie Mullins.

The six-year-old is one of 11 Irish-trained entries along with her stablemates J’Y Vole and Morning Supreme as well as Voler La Vedette, who is unbeaten in four starts this season for trainer Colm Murphy.

The home team includes a quartet from Nicky Henderson’s stable in Carole’s Legacy, Here Comes Sally, My Petra and top French performer Stravinsky Dance, while trainer Donald McCain – who won the inaugural David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle in 2008 with Whiteoak – could bid for another win in the two and a half mile event with Alegralil.

Irish-trained raiders have won an amazing 14 of the 17 runnings of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and they account for 17 of this year’s 38 entries.

Willie Mullins, who has trained six previous winners, has five horses engaged in this race, all of them unbeaten. Tavern Times, who was formerly trained by Mullins’ brother Tom, Bishopsfurze, Day Of A Lifetime, Lios A Choill and Up Ou That make up his team.

Dermot Weld, who saddled Rite Of Passage to be third last year, could run Elegant Concorde and Hidden Universe, the likely mount of leading Flat jockey Pat Smullen, while six-time British champion Flat rider Kieren Fallon is set to partner Old McDonald for trainer Noel Glynn.

Champion British Jump trainer Paul Nicholls feels he has his best ever chance of landing the Weatherbys Champion Bumper via Al Ferof, whose owner John Hales is also represented by recent purchase Don’t Turn Bach.

Dunguib wins Champion Bumper 2009

There are 49 entries bidding to land the season’s top hunter chase, the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase, including smart French performer Roulez Cool, now trained by Cheltenham Racecourse director Robert Waley-Cohen and the mount of his son Sam.

Baby Run, who finished third in last season’s Christies Foxhunter Chase, could represent trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and his son Sam, while the 2008 winner Amicelli is also among the entries. Sheila Crow, who saddled Cappa Bleu to win last year’s race, could run Unowatimeeen.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary