David Nicholson Mares Hurdle Betting Tips Part 1

While Sprinter Sacre might be getting to fill Big Bucks’ shoes as the shortest odds of the entire Cheltenham Festival, he is certainly getting a run for his money from the ever-present Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle. The defending champion from last year’s effort, secured by a ten length margin, has only had a solitary run so far this year but tends to flourish when campaigned this selectively. 

Last year, Quevega won this contest off a nearly 11 month freshening as Ruby Walsh stepped back into the irons and showed that the previous years contest was no fluke. She’s won this race every single year since 2009 and, even though we will ultimately see a new champion mare emerge onto the hurdling circuit in years to come, you do have to wonder whether any of the challengers lining up here will be able to really give her a genuine run for her money. 

It’s not only that Quevega tends to win so much, but it’s the manner in which she tends to win. Only a solitary effort on the past few years - a 1 and 1/4 length victory at the 2011 Punchestown Festival - really saw opponents even getting close to Willy Mullins nine-year-old. 

She has been absolutely hammered in the ante post markets for quite some time, but it’s going to be especially interesting to see what her price does on the day of the race itself. 

As it currently stands, punters will find Quevega available at a slim 1/2 price tag with most major bookmakers. It’s likely that she could drift lower based on the positive news coming out of the Mullins yard after she went out for an after races gallop on Sunday, working in company with three of her stablemates. 

Reports were that Quevega eased past them all without Katie Walsh really having to ask her for too much. This year looks ominously similar to past years, and many are expecting another romp. 

Une Artiste looks to be the main challenger and she’s hovering around a 6/1 price to get the better of Quevega. She comes in off two wins from a pair of listed mares hurdle efforts. She still seems a bit quirky, having refused to race at Punchestown last April. She does boast more form than the rest of the contenders on display here and she will likely get Barry Geraghty for the trip.