The 2026 Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle: stats and trends

Grade: Grade Two. Course: New Course.

Distance: 2m 179yd (eight hurdles).

Prize Money: £67,500. Age restrictions: 4yo+ 

Weights and Allowances: 5yo+ 11st 2lb; 4yo 10st 9lb.

Sponsor: Ryanair

Willie Mullins was responsible for the first five winners of this race – all of them French-breds who started their careers in France. However, the past five have all eluded him. Every winner so far has been aged five or six, with four of them having had eight races or more (Flat and jumps). Seven of the ten had previously won or been placed in a Graded race.

Five of the first six winners were all French-bred and started their jumping careers in France. 

Market surprises

Eglantine Du Seuil (2019) caused a 50-1 shock, while You Wear It Well was a marked drifter when scoring at 16/1 three years ago. Golden Ace (10-1) downed hot favourite Brighterdaysahead two years ago, while Air Of Entitlement beat market leader Sixandahalf 12 month ago.

Limini (2016) and Laurina (2018) won the Grade 3 Solerina Mares Hurdle at Fairyhouse that season, while Lets Dance (2017) won the Nathaniel Lacy (then a Grade 2 race). Concertista (2020) was beaten a nose in the race the previous year while Love Envoi and You Wear It Well both won the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle on their previous starts.

Golden Ace won the 2024 edition and scooped the Champion Hurdle a year later. Epatante disappointed in the 2018 edition but won the Champion Hurdle 12 months later.

The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle was first run in 2016 and is registered as the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in honour of the legendary mare who remains the only horse to win the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup.

Paddy Mullins trained Dawn Run and his son Willie Mullins has won five of the seven renewals of this race so far with Limini (2016), Let’s Dance (2017), Laurina (2018), Eglantine Du Seuil (2019) and Concertista (2020). He saddled the 1-2-4-5 on the last occasion and he had the 1-2 in 2019.

Noel Fehily was aboard the surprise winner Eglantine Du Seuil and made it a famous 'double' when his racing syndicate colours were carried to glory by Love Envoi. Johnny Burke was the rider on board.

The 2023 edition was named in honour of Jack de Bromhead, tragically killed in a pony riding accident the previous year.

Gavin Sheehan gave You Wear It Well a fine front-running ride to take the spoils. Despite having a strong book of form to her name – including a second in the Challow Hurdle and a victory in the Grade Two Jayne Seymour last time out – she was sent off an easy to back 16-1, with 5-4 favourite Luccia was the only horse punters wanted to be on.

Keen to put her proven stamina to good use Sheehan went straight to the front aboard the Jamie Snowden-trained six-year-old and never saw another rival as she showed a tremendous attitude to keep galloping and responding to her rider’s urgings when the pack began to bare down on her in the closing stages.

Henry de Bromhead’s Magical Zoe performed with great credit to take the runner-up spot in the race named in memory of the trainer’s late son, who tragically lost his life in a pony racing accident in September.

An error at the last cost Tony Mullins’ Group One-winning Princess Zoe finishing any closer than fifth.

Winning trainer Jamie Snowden said: “It’s Cheltenham, isn’t it? It’s wonderful. We had a winner here very early in our career in these colours, and you forget how hard it is to win here. It’s the pinnacle of the pinnacle. She’s a very smart mare, and to do that with a penalty as well - it’s a Grade Two and she carried a penalty in that, so it’s wonderful.”

Love Envoi took her unbeaten record to six when landing a highly-popular success.

Trained by Harry Fry, the six-year-old is owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate. It was a fitting verdict as the former jumps jockey announced his retirement plans after landing the same race on Eglantine Du Seuil in 2019.

Love Envoi (15-2) kept on strongly up the hill to win by a length and a quarter from Ahorsewithnoname for a fifth hurdle triumph plus one in a bumper. Grangee was a length and a half back in third place with Nurse Susan fourth.

Fehily said: "What a performance. It was nerve-racking stuff. She is so tough and wouldn’t know when to give up."

Telmesomethinggirl (5/1) careered clear under a fine Rachael Blackmore ride to give the jockey her fifth winner of a memorable Cheltenham Festival - and a first victory in this race to a trainer other than Willie Mullins as Henry de Bromhead saddled the first two home.

Settled at the back of the field early on, Blackmore creeped closer in the Honeysuckle silks of Kenny Alexander and won with plenty in hand from stablemate Magic Daze (22/1) in second with Mighty Blue 912/1) in third.

"It’s been an incredible week," said De Bromhead. "The horses are flying, the jockey is flying and it’s been brilliant. “We’re very lucky to have good mares like these and good owners.

“I thought this mare had a chance. I thought on ratings we might struggle a little bit, but I thought both of ours had a squeak.

“Magic Daze ran a cracker as well to finish second, having made all, which is a hard thing to do in this race."

Just touched off by stablemate Eglantine Du Seuil 12 months ago, Concertista went into this race still a maiden – but put that right in emphatic fashion.

Daryl Jacob brought the six-year-old, owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, with a powerful run in the straight and the 9-2 chance shot past stablemate Dolcita as she and stormed up the hill to win by 12 lengths.

Rayna’s World passed a host of rivals on the run-in to grab third place for trainer Phil Kirby and jockey Thomas Dowson at odds of 100-1.

Mullins said: "She hadn't won a race since winning on the Flat in France in 2017 - I'm not sure whose been training her! That's a nice way to break the duck, anyway.

"Hopefully our mare will be a good mare now. I'm delighted to win the race again."

That man Willie Mullins landed the Dawn Run once again, but it was 50-1 shot Eglantine Du Seuil who sprung a big surprise under 43-year-old Noel Fehily.

The mare had eight rivals in front of her two furlongs from home but really picked up approaching the final flight and stayed on strongly up the hill to prevail by a short head in one of the finishes of the week.

Fehily produced his moment with a fine ride and announced his imminent retirement shortly after the race to Racing TV's Lydia Hislop. Eglantine Du Seuil was his final Festival winner in a decorated career in the saddle.

“I wasn’t well for a while earlier in the year and I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks.

"I’m delighted to be able to go out on a winner, especially for Jared (Sullivan, owner) who has been so good to me.

“I’m not getting any younger and it’s time to start working now. I’ve loved every minute of it and had great support, but it’s time to let everyone else get on with it."

Laurina was one of the most impressive winners of the week as the 4-7 favourite destroyed her rivals by no less than 17 lengths for trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Paul Townend and owner Jared Sullivan.

With a third successive win, Mullins remained the only trainer to win the Dawn Run at the Festival and, in the race named after the star trained by his father Paddy, the trainer brought up his 61st Cheltenham Festival success - more than anyone else in history.

“To do that against the best in the British Isles is unbelievable,” said Mullins. “She looked special there.

“We’ve always thought this mare was very decent. There was me thinking that Footpad was the best chance of the week!”

The 11-8 favourite made it four from four for trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Ruby Walsh and owners Rich and Susannah Ricci with another victory in the Festival’s newest race by nearly three lengths.

The five-year-old brought up a brilliant four-timer on the day for Mullins and Walsh after victories for Yorkhill (JLT Novices’ Chase), Un De Sceaux (Ryanair Chase) and Nichols Canyon (Stayers’ Hurdle).

The Irish won six races on the day’s card in a record-equalling feat at the Festival.

Confidently ridden by Walsh, Let’s Dance was delivered late by the master jockey and a great jump at the last sealed the deal as the mare powered up the famous hill.

“Looking at where she was turning for home a lot of things had to fall right,” said Mullins.

“To have Ruby on our side is worth so much because he changes his mind two or three times in races when things are not going to plan. He can read races and take a chance – he’s a huge asset.”

“Give it up on the handicaps and have it all on Limini!”

Tony Mullins, a regular on the preview night circuit, was not shy in voicing his confidence in Limini and his optimism was widely shared as one of the Festival ‘good things’ obliged for happy punters.

The 8-11 favourite coasted turning into the straight and streaked clear after the last in great style for Ruby Walsh, Willie Mullins and Rich and Susannah Ricci to win by four and a half lengths and continue a fantastic week for the jockey, trainer and owners.

“She’s a little gem and jumped like a buck,” said Walsh. “There was never a moment’s worry.

“She was given as the banker a long time ago. We told everyone for the last six weeks and she was just a shade of odds-on. She’s deadly.”