Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2)

THE 2024 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase will be a race remembered with enormous fondness for J.P. and Noreen McManus as homebred Limerick Lace fended off fellow green-and-gold mare Dinoblue to round off a sublime week for the leading owner.

Keith Donoghue delivered a peach of a ride to collect by a hard-fought three quarters of a length on the Gavin Cromwell-trained 3/1 chance, who was strongly supported in the morning before becoming easier to back closer to the off.

There were few excuses for 15/8 favourite, perhaps with the exception of the ground turning more testing than ideal for her.

Limerick Lace also completed a notable double for her breeder Noreen McManus, as she is a full sister to Thursday’s runaway Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase winner Inothewayurthinkin.

It is believed to be only the second time in the modern era at least that siblings have won at the same Cheltenham Festival, following Jazzy Matty (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) and Delta Work (Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase) doubling up at last year’s meeting.

Cromwell, who got on the scoresheet a day earlier with Inothewayurthinkin, said: “That was fantastic. Keith was very good on her as she’s not straightforward. She’s a bit of a madam and she nearly kicked a cameraman on her way out. She’s broken a lot of white rail at home. She’s a bit of a lady, but you don’t mind when they are as good as that.

Stamina assured

“I’m delighted for Keith and for everybody. He turned it into as much of a test as he could as she stays really well and was second in the Troytown.

On the day over the two and a half it probably played more to her strengths than to Dinoblue’s, as she’s very speedy, but they are two very good mares. She’s in the Grand National, and I suppose that’s a possibility.“

It was also a win to savour for the successful rider, who was partnering his first Cheltenham Festival winner away from the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. His four previous wins at the meeting had all come in that race on either Tiger Roll or Delta Work, and he lost one of his main chances of a winner this week when that contest was abandoned due to waterlogging on Wednesday.

Donoghue said: “The more rain, the happier we were getting. We knew she would handle the ground and stay well; we were just hoping that would stretch Dinoblue a bit, but ours is a very good mare in her own right. We had everything in our favour today. She keeps progressing, and she’s been rejuvenated this year, really, and I was delighted to get the ride on her today.

“Gavin has had a great week, and Flooring Porter ran a cracker in the Stayers’ Hurdle as well. I’ve had two seconds and a third this week and I thought, ‘Oh God, my chance has gone’, so to get a winner is brilliant.”