Grade Two Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle Guide

The five year old mare looks to be the first string of the Seven Barrows runners in this race having shown clear form all season and now dropped back into a race against her own sex can go well.

Having been smart last term winning a Listed event and then finishing a neck second to Lady Buttons in a this event, she disappointed at the Cheltenham festival when no better than midfield in the Mares Novices' Hurdle, but overall ability was still retained.

She has had a similar career to stablemate Epatante with what races she has been entered in and how she has finished in them and the trend continued on seasonal debut when winning the Gerry Feilden Intermediate Hurdle at Newbury.

She was then upped up in class and sent to Kempton for the Grade One Christmas Hurdle and was ultimately outclassed into fourth.

Dropping back in grade and as said before, back into a race against her own sex can see her go close again, with not much between her and stablemate Marie's Rock.

Marie's Rock for trainer Nicky Henderson is looking to bounce back to form on Saturday in this event, as the Seven Barrows handler has decided to send her here instead of the Betfair Hurdle.

The six year old daughter of Milan was a model on consistency last term for Nicky Henderson running three times and winning all of her events in good style, stepping up in class in each event.

Having won in May 2019 at Ffos Las in a bumper, in December of that year she made her hurdles debut at Haydock in an Introductory Hurdle and powered away from a smart field by five lengths.

She then headed to Taunton a few weeks later in a Listed Novices' Hurdle and again stepped up to beat some nice horses by eight lengths and she was all set to head to the Cheltenham festival and give Willie Mullins a run for his money in the Mares Novices' Hurdle.

However, she suffered an injury setback that saw her off the track for sometime and she unfortunately missed out on the festival in March.

She made her seasonal return this season at Newbury in the Listed Intermediate Hurdle looking to get back to form having fully recovered from injury and when coming with a challenge ultimately blew up and looked like she needed the run more than the yard thought.

Paul Nicholls' leading runner in the race is the six year old Miranda and with Harry Cobden going to Doncaster and not Cheltenham it suggests they think she has a leading chance.

The mare has been tried over both the flat and hurdles during her career, performing to a fair standard but it does look as though even at the peak of her form she has a lot to do in this sphere.

The daughter of Camelot has been seen three times this season, racing on the flat at Nottingham in October and finishing a nice second before getting off the mark for the term at Ludlow next time out.

She was last seen finishing fourth of seven in a handicap hurdle at Musselburgh over two miles and she will need to be so much better than that upped in class.

Philip Kirby has dominated this race over the last few years with the superstar Lady Buttons and he is looking to keep that strong run going with Rayna's World.

The six year old has been year old has been very consistent throughout her career and extended that this season, running three times and not finishing outside the top two.

She made her seasonal debut at Hexham in October and was an emphatic 13 lengths winner in a Maiden Hurdle and she then backed that up at the same track over two miles with a good second behind a nice type.

She seems to be at her best over 2m4f and stepping back up in trip last time out at Haydock she was again a good second behind Nada To Prada who looks a nice recruit for Michael Scudamore.

Although performing well she will need to be at her best in this company, but does handle these conditions.

The penultimate runner of the event goes for handler Peter Atkinson and it would be a turn up for the books if this 10 year old took the race.

The mare was a smart horse in her younger years, landing a Listed Mares' bumper at Cheltenham and over hurdles winning a decent handicap hurdle at Aintree.

She has been entered into this event many times and has a decent record finishing second in 2018, third in 2019 and second last year before being disqualified.

However, now slightly older and the field looking full of smart horses she might find some a bit too good and is opposable.

The big outsider at 40/1 is the Sopat for trainer Phil Middleton and although showing winning form this season, she will need to step up massively to compete in this grade.

The eight year old has been seen twice at Fakenham this term, finishing eighth of 11 runners on seasonal debut, but using that run to break her maiden tag at the second time of asking.

She is being pitched into this event in more hope than of expectation and it looks the yard are taking a chance to see she is good enough in the sphere.