The Mares’ Chase was introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 2021 and is now a mainstay of the final day of the meeting. Despite there being less evidence to work with, there are still some intriguing nuggets of information to work with regarding trends for the contest.
Age
The three winners to date have all been of a similar level of experience. The first two winners, Colreevy and Elimay, were both aged eight despite the former still holding novice status when winning the inaugural edition. Last season’s winner Impervious was slightly younger, aged seven.
Every mare to finish in the top two in the race so far has been aged six to eight, so it is worth looking to that demographic for a horse likelier to make the frame. This is only boosted by looking at the current ante-post markets, which generally show nine of the top ten in the betting within that age group.
Age of All Mares’ Chase Winners
- <6 – 0 winners
- 7 – 1 winner
- 8 – 2 winners
- 9+ – 0 winners
Starting Price
There is an interesting nuance regarding the three winners, as all of them went off at short prices, but none of them went off as favourite. Every single one was second in the betting, with Elimay and Impervious being just a quarter of a point behind respective market leaders Concertista and Allegorie De Vassy, and Colreevy just over a point above favourite Elimay’s starting price in 2021.
For winners, it is worth looking at the head of the betting, but do not discount some outsiders from making the frame. Although the top three in the market filled the first three places in 2021, Pink Legend has subsequently placed in the most recent two renewals at 33/1, with Scarlet And Dove finishing third at 28/1 in 2022.
Starting Price of All Mares’ Chase Winners
- 15/8-9/4 – All 3 winners
Official Rating
When you consider that mares would receive a 7lb allowance in open company, then the winners of this race are genuine Grade 1 performers even though this race remains a Grade 2. All three have been rated 150 or higher, with Colreevy only having reached 150 given her relative inexperience, the same for Impervious off 151, though the more established Elimay was rated 155 before her 2022 victory.
Even among the placed horses, only Pink Legend has been rated below 149. Regardless of where you look in the market, keep the mares with proven form onside.
Official Rating of All Mares’ Chase Winners
- <150 – 0 winners
- 150-154 – 2 winners
- 155+ – 1 winner
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