Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle Tips, Preview & Betting Odds

In this post you can find all of our Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle tips and betting odds from BoyleSports’ panel of horse racing experts!

Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle Tips

At the 2023 BoyleSports Cheltenham Festival Preview Night our panel of horse racing experts previewed the Mares’ Hurdle and gave their take on who they are tipping to win one of the opening day’s biggest races.

You can also check out the full BoyleSports 2023 Cheltenham Festival Preview Night video where our panel of horse racing experts previewed all four days of the Cheltenham Festival!

Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle Favourites

Honeysuckle – Mares’ Hurdle Favourite 2/1

Honeysuckle is a horse who has always loved Cheltenham and remains unbeaten at the festival. The nine-year-old Henry De Bromhead trained mare had its first Cheltenham victory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle in 2020 and went on to win the last two editions of the Champion Hurdle in 2021 and 2022.

Despite these Champion Hurdle victories indications are that Honeysuckle will line up in the Mares Hurdle at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, racing manager Peter Molony tweeted:

One last hurrah for Honeysuckle! Barring accidents, injury, illness or extremes of ground she will be prepared for another tilt at The Close Brothers Mares Hurdle Gd1 ⁦@CheltenhamRaces⁩ on Tuesday 14th of March. 🤞🤞🤞 pic.twitter.com/CS7nPMb1I2

— Peter Molony (@Pmolony1Peter) February 7, 2023

Can Honeysuckle finish with a fairy-tale ending? She is currently priced at 2/1 to do so!

Epatante – Mares’ Hurdle Joint Second Favourite 3/1

One of Honeysuckle’s main challengers is this nine-year-old Nicky Henderson trained mare. She comes into this race on the back of a victory on the 28th of January in Doncaster winning over the 2-mile ½ furlong trip by 6.5 lengths. This was her first win in four races since winning on the 7th of April 2022 at Aintree over the 2-mile four furlong trip by a whopping 14 lengths.

Coming into The Festival Epstante has come up against race-favourite Honeysuckle on three occasions. She has come third to her by 9.5 lengths in the 2021 Champion Hurdle, third to her one month later in Punchestown being beaten by 12.5 lengths and most recently second to her rival by a narrower 3.5 lengths behind in the 2022 Champion Hurdle. Epatante is 2/1 to finally usurp Honeysuckle and claim Cheltenham glory.

Maries Rock – Mares’ Hurdle Joint Second Favourite 3/1

Arguably the in-form horse going into the Mares’ Hurdle and defending champion in this race. The seven-year-old has won four of her last four races dating back to the 12th of February 2022 when she won over the 2-mile five-furlong trip in Warwick by 3 lengths. She followed that up with success in Cheltenham 2022 by winning the Mares’ Hurdle by 1.75 lengths at rewarding odds of 18/1!

Most recently she has continued her good form winning in Cheltenham on January 1st by 6 lengths. The Nicky Henderson trained Maries Rock is currently 3/1 joint second favourite to make it five wins in her last five races.

Brandy Love – 6/1

The seven-year-old mare is the leading contender for the prize in the W-P Mullins team. The horse returned to action on the 22nd of February after a 311 days break from the racetrack. On that occasion she finished third in a seven-horse-field over the 2-mile 4 ½ furlong trip in Punchestown, 4.75 lengths back from winner Queen Brook.

This horse’s last victory came on the 17th of April in Fairyhouse over a 2-mile four furlong trip. On that day she beat a 15-horse-field by eight lengths with Love Envoi in second place. Brandy Love is 5/1 to return to winning form again.

Love Envoi – 6/1

The Harry Fry trained 7-year-old mare comes into the race off two-wins in Sandown, winning over 2-miles on the 3rd of December by 0.75 lengths. That was her return after 230 days away from the track and this mare most recently cruised to victory over a 2-miles four furlong trip on the 7th of January by 13 lengths at Sandown.

The horse boasts an almost perfect record of eight wins from nine races with her only losing effort coming at the hands of Brandy Love by 8 lengths in Fairyhouse on the 17th of April. Love Envoi is currently priced at 6/1 to win again at Cheltenham and with form like she has who would rule her out?

Click Below For All Our Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle Betting Odds

*Prices subject to fluctuation

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