The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle 2025 at the Cheltenham Festival is a highly anticipated race for elite mares over 2m 4f. Traditionally dominated by Irish trainers, Willie Mullins has claimed 10 of the last 16 renewals. Below, we break down the key trends, past winners, and best betting selections for this year’s race.
📊 Key Trends & Winning Profile
✅ Age Trends: 📅 Only Quevega and Honeysuckle have won this aged 8+, both being previous winners.
✅ Strong Form: 🏆 13 of the last 17 winners won their previous race.
✅ Stamina Check: 🏇 All but two winners had previously won over at least 2m 4f.
✅ Ratings Benchmark: 📈 14 of the last 17 winners were rated 147+.
✅ Favourite Woes: ❌ 6 of the last 9 favourites have been beaten, despite short prices.
✅ Trainer Dominance: 🏇 Willie Mullins has trained 10 of the last 16 winners.
✅ Open Grade Experience: 🎯 14 of the last 17 winners had placed in an open Graded race.
✅ No Headgear: 🚫 Only one of the last 17 winners wore headgear.
✅ Cheltenham Proven: ⛰️ Many past winners had previous Festival form.
✅ Handicap Edge: ⚖️ 7 of the last 17 winners had at least 6lb in hand on handicap ratings.
✅ Tough Competition: 💪 15 of the last 17 winners had beaten geldings before.
🏇 Recent Winners & Trends Analysis
📅 2025: TBD
📅 2024: Lossiemouth (5yo, BHA 155, won G2 Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle)
📅 2023: Honeysuckle (9yo, BHA 159, 2nd in Irish Champion Hurdle)
📅 2022: Marie’s Rock (7yo, BHA 140, won Warwick Listed Mares’ Hurdle)
📅 2021: Black Tears (7yo, BHA 148, won Quevega Mares’ Hurdle)
🔍 Key Trends: The best guide to finding the winner often comes from previous Mares’ Hurdle form, Irish Champion Hurdle performances, and Cheltenham Festival history.
🎯 Expert Verdict: Who to Bet On?
✅ Focus on 6-7-year-olds with Graded form, proven stamina over 2m 4f+, and trained by top Irish trainers.
✅ Avoid horses wearing headgear or those without open Graded race form.
🔥 Odds-on favourites have a poor record, so backing value against short-priced favourites can be profitable.
📈 Best Bets for Mares’ Hurdle 2025 – Top Selections
| 🏇 Horse | 📉 Odds | 🎯 Trainer | 🔥 Age | 📊 OR | ⭐ RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighterdaysahead | 6/4 | Gordon Elliott | 6 | – | 174 |
| Lossiemouth | 7/2 | W P Mullins | 6 | – | 165 |
| July Flower | 5/1 | Henry De Bromhead | 6 | – | 149 |
🏆 Brighterdaysahead is the leading contender, boasting outstanding Graded form and Festival potential.
🔥 Lossiemouth is a classy performer who remains a serious threat, while July Flower could surprise at bigger odds.
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