Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Tips: 2022 Betting Preview & Trends

Gavin Beech

March 16th, 2022

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First run in 2016, the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle is one of the most recent additions to the Cheltenham Festival. When looking at the betting odds for the 2022 edition at horse racing betting sites, note that this race will generally be listed as the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle for sponsorship reasons.

Willie Mullins runners have dominated the race so far, winning the first five editions, and the top three horses in 2022 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle betting odds are all trained by Mullins. Mullins-trained horses are likely to feature prominently in any Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle tips preview and ours is no different.

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Tips

• Back Dinoblue to win - 11/4 with FansBet

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Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Runners in Focus  

Here's an in-depth look at some of the key contenders for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

Love Could Turn Fairyhouse Form Around

Two of Willie Mullins’ leading contenders for this race met at Fairyhouse in January, when Allegorie De Vassy finished three-and-a-half lengths in front of stablemate Brandy Love.

However, that’s not the whole story because Brandy Love threw her chance away by jumping markedly to her left at a number of obstacles, not least the second-last where her waywardness cost her the lead.

There is probably more to come from the lightly-raced Allegorie De Vassy, who is now 2-2 since joining Willie Mullins from France, but she is no certainty to confirm this form at left-handed Cheltenham.

Switching back to a left-handed track is surely going to see Brandy Love in a much better light. She was super-impressive in a Naas maiden hurdle in December and although this former Irish point winner will need to go up in trip next season, she is a strong contender for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Read More: Don't forget to check out the best Cheltenham Offers before placing your bets

2022 Mares' Novices' Hurdle Tip: Dinoblue

Mullins has an even less exposed mare in his care that could trump Allegorie De Vassy and Brandy Love, and that horse is Dinoblue, who could hardly have gotten the job done in an easier fashion on debut.

The French-bred daughter of Doctor Dino looked a mare to keep firmly on the right side of when she powered away from a couple of talented stablemates at Clonmel in January, one of which (Mi Lighthouse) won next time at Limerick. The other (La Prima Donna) probably would have won had she not fallen at the second-last.

Dinoblue clearly handles heavy ground well, so the question now is whether she is as effective on drying terrain, should that be the case come March. But she already looks a high-class mare and there could be stacks more to come, so Dinoblue heads our Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle tips shortlist.

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Party No Back Number

Gordon Elliott has yet to win the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle but Party Central looks like a mare who is going the right way and her experience is likely to stand her in good stead if they get a big field for this race.

Party Central has won three of her four starts over hurdles, not least a good-quality handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival. That was a career-best effort on the numbers, after which her trainer told the media that the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle was the target for this improver.

She is more exposed than the likes of Dinoblue, having had eight starts under rules in total, but that experience might just benefit her in the hurly-burly of a Cheltenham Festival race. That's why she merits consideration in our Mares' Novices' Hurdle tips shortlist, priced at around 5/1 with the best betting sites.

She Won't Love Dry Ground

Conditions are probably going to have to be on the testing side at Cheltenham if Harry Fry’s unbeaten mare Love Envoi is to take her chance.

She made it five from five by landing a Grade 2 contest for mares at Sandown but that was a two-and-a-half-mile race on heavy ground, so she’s one that stays particularly well.

She would have the class to run in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle but if the ground dries up it will simply become too much of a test of speed for her, in which case she probably won’t run.

Read More: 2022 Stayers' Hurdle Tips

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Odds  

• Odds correct as of 16/03/2022 - For full latest odds head over to FansBet

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Trends

• Mullins domination: The outstanding trend for this race is that trainer Willie Mullins' runners have won five of the six editions. However, his four runners were all unplaced in 2021.
• Brits struggling to land a blow: Only two horses trained in Britain have been placed in the last four editions.
• French background: French-bred horses have a strong record, winning five of the six renewals.
• Headgear blackout: No winner of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle has worn headgear.
• Age band: Every winner of the race so far has been five or six years old. Only one horse of any other age has even been placed in the race.

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Winners  

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Verdict 

This is a race dominated by the Irish in its brief history and the betting odds strongly indicate that trend looks set to continue in 2022.

It was tempting to go with Brandy Love, who could easily reverse Fairyhouse form with Allegorie De Vassy. But DINOBLUE looks a star in the making and, given she is trained by Willie Mullins and runs in the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus, it is conceivable that she could go off a short price come the day.

It was impossible not to be impressed with the way she went about her business at Clonmel on debut, form that has real substance. The fact she was bred in France is another positive when looking at Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle trends.

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