THERE has to be slight irony in the fact that one of the greatest mares to race over obstacles, Dawn Run, is commemorated by a race for mares only at the Festival. The race promotes a current trend that see mare more likely to race against their own sex. We will see even fewer mares take part in the Champion Hurdle or Gold Cup?

The Grade 2 Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, added to Cheltenham’s Thursday in 2016, is intended to lead into the Grade 1 mares’ hurdle the following year but the novice event has come under some criticism for its inclusion, mainly due to the lack of quality in the race. The Festival’s graded races should be attracting and showing off the best in jump racing.