OLBG Mares Hurdle Betting Preview Pt 1

The Mares hurdle is always one of those races where you’re coming in with a big favourite and several other pretenders to the crown at much more significant odds. This year is absolutely no different with Quevega once again dominating the market with all bookmakers pricing her extremely short for Cheltenham glory. There is a lot to like about her chances and, while you don’t reckon many punters will be going all out and making her their festival banker - she does represent some great value on accumulator tickets with a few other slightly longer-odds selections.

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Quevega hasn’t lost since a tough trip to Auteil all the way back in mid 2009 with a few sparing runs - never more than two efforts per year. She will be debuting at the festival as per usual and she looks set to take another run at things as the dominant mare in the  hurdling circuit looks to further ensconce herself as a legend of the division. 

She has been off the track since conquering the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown last year over Reve De Sivola and, even carrying 11-10, she was able to triumph at a 6/4 listing that would up looking good value in the end. She is still sitting on her 164 rating and looks more than likely to get the job done. 

Cockney Sparrow and Sirene D’Ainay are the ones who are looking most likely to topple her this time out and Cockney Sparrow has been taken into 6/1 by a few books and appears to be gaining steam for the possible disruption - which would surely be one of the stories of the festival. 

Trading at a general 7/1 with most major bookmakers, Cockney Sparrow is a five-year-old dynamo that really looked to be putting in a quality effort at Doncaster last time out when falling two from home when disputing second in the Grade 2 Doncaster Mares Hurdle. The real reference race there may be the race prior to that when she finished three lengths behind My Tent Or Yours in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. 

A Grade 2 placing against male runners is a solid reference and it’s worth noting that she has been bouncing around from pilot to pilot over the last year or so. It’s also important to consider that she has been running fairly steadily since last August with five efforts under her belt since then.