MARES stole the limelight last weekend when racing in Ireland was firmly in the hot seat, no action taking place across the water. The feature races at both Naas and Punchestown fell to members of the fairer sex and both possess pedigrees of potential Cheltenham winners.

Willie Mullins trains the French-bred Pravalaguna, a seven-year-old by Great Pretender (King’s Theatre) and another blacktype winning daughter of the Denham Red (Pampabird) mare Arnette, herself a three-time winner over jumps in France.