

Mares Novices Hurdle (The Dawn Run)
All 10 had either already run against geldings or won a Graded Mares Hurdle last time out.
Four of the last nine were second-season novices.
Six of the ten had run at least four times over hurdles
All winners aged 5 or 6 yrs.
Three of the last four GB trained
The last 4 winners had won a bumper
H de Bromhead a better recent record than WPM
In the last five WPM is 0-22. One third place.
Only two ex p2p horses have won
Nine of the ten placed (at least) over 2m 2f or further
No BFs last time or headgear wearers have won
All winners finished in the first three last time out
JP owned are 0-10 Gigginstown 0-6
Last seven favs beat, six of them under 3/1.
This century P Nicholls has yet to have a mare placed at the Festival. 0-12
SUMMARY
Going 10 years. 2m. Penalties for G1 wins no more. Three of tha last four won by GB trainers. It has been said that Irish based jockeys did not cover themselves in glory in 2023 or 2024. Headgear unlikely. Check DRF mares handicap. Six yr olds on top at present. Favourite due.
Honours Board
Year ||| Form ||| Winner ||| Age ||| Weight ||| OR ||| SP ||| Trainer ||| Jockey ||| Runners ||| Last Race (No of days)
2025 ||| 1 ||| Air Of Entitlement ||| 6 ||| 11-4 ||| - ||| 16/1 ||| H de Bromhead (IRE) ||| R Blackmore ||| 23 ||| 1st 2m 4f Nov Down Royal (77)
2024 ||| 11 ||| Golden Ace ||| 6 |||11-2 |||124 |||10/1 ||| J Scott ||| L Williams ||| 8 ||| 1st 2m M Nov Taunton (37)
2023 ||| 1121 ||| You Wear It Well ||| 6 ||| 11-7 |||135 ||| 16/1 ||| J Snowden ||| G Sheehan ||| 21 ||| 1st G2 Sand M 2m 4f (28)
2022 ||| 1111 ||| Love Envoi ||| 6 ||| 11-7 |||135 |||15/2 ||| H Fry ||| J Burke ||| 19 ||| 1st G2 Sand M 2m 4f (28)
2021 ||| 13113 ||| Telmesomethinggirl ||| 6 |||11-2 |||136 ||| 5/1 ||| H de Bromhead (IRE) ||| R Blackmore ||| 15 ||| 3rd £50k Leop M H'cap DRF (39)
2020 ||| 433 ||| Concertista ||| 6 ||| 11-2 |||141 ||| 9/2 ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| D Jacob||| 22 ||| 3rd £50k Leop M H'cap DRF 2m 2f (39)
2019 ||| 13 ||| Eglantine du Seuil ||| 5 |||11-2||| - ||| 50/1 ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| N Fehily ||| 22 ||| 3rd Listowel Nov Hdle 2m (180)
2018 ||| 11 ||| Laurina ||| 5 ||| 11-7 ||| 144||| 4/7F ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| P Townend||| 14 ||| 1st G3 F'house M Nov Hdle 2m 2f (48)
2017 ||| 21111 ||| Let's Dance ||| 5 ||| 11-7 |||147 ||| 11/8F ||| W Mullins (IRE) ||| R Walsh ||| 16 ||| 1st G2 Nathaniel Lacy Nov 2m 4f (46)
2016 ||| 11 ||| Limini ||| 5 ||| 11-7 ||| 145 ||| 8/11F |||W Mullins (IRE) ||| R Walsh ||| 16 ||| 1st G3 F'house M Nov Hdle 2m 2f (47)
Evidence
2016 - 2m 1f on the New Course. Limini capped a good day for Irish trained and short priced treble kings after Thistlecrack and Vautour. An IRE bred five year old, carrying 11 st 7lb trained by WPM and steered by Ruby Walsh. 8/11 fav. Not out since strolling the G3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle over 2m2f at Fairyhouse 46 days before by 11 lengths.
2017 - Lets Dance made it a great day for Ruby and Willie with another short priced treble after Yorkhill and Un De Sceaux. A nicer 4 timer if you had thrown in Nichols Canyon. FR Bred five year old, carrying 11st 7lb, the 11/8 fav. Not out since taking the Nathaniel Lacy G2 Novice Hurdle over 2m4f at Leopardstown 46 days ago by 6 lengths.
2018 - Laurina made it a Closutton treble in this race. FR Bred 5 yr old, carrying 11st 7lb steered by P Townend (Ruby injured the day before). 4/7 fav. Not out since jogging the G3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle over 2m 2f at Fairyhouse 47 days ago by 11 lengths.
2019 - Any fool would have realised the way to go here was seven £5 singles on all of Willie's runners. (No, I didn't). Eglantine Du Seuil (FR), a fine ride by Noel Fehily got up from Concertista and Danny Mullins. Both 5 yr olds carried 11-2. Noel immediately announced his retirement. It took Danny another two years to get his first festival success on Flooring Porter. He's having a good time now. Unlucky here. SPs? 50/1 beats 66/1. Sometimes Willie in the novices/bumper just gets them here. Even he may not know which one is the one. Winner had previously won a maiden hurdle but hadn't been seen out since 3rd at Listowel in September. G Elliott trained finished 3rd and 4th. That made 4 from 4 for Clusotton. Epatante well beaten at 15/8 fav, PN's Posh Trish also well punted at 3/1. Two BFs unplaced.
2020 - World and his aunt all over Willie's Concertista (FR), once ATR's Tony Keenan @RacingTrends tipped her up the Tuesday before. The 2019 second to Eglantine du Seuil. A very decent third last time off 135 in the DRF 2m 2f 59k Mares H'cap Hurdle. 20s to 9/2. Darryl came off the Festival cold list (Lac Fontana 2014 County) with the easiest steering job imaginable. A conservative 12l. His first Festival win for the double green. A Willie 1-2-4, he wins the first five editions.
2021 - Not the greatest year for W Mullins novice mares. Even Skyace 4th sold for £600 by Closutton to the Shark beat home all from Closutton. Winner was six yr old Telmesomethinggirl 5/1 for Henry and Rachel on their perfect storm week. Another winner from T Keenan ATR at 12s. Won by 5l. Another one, 3rd off 128 in that DRF Mares h'cap behind Heaven Help Us. The first four home were trained by four other Irish trainers. Other to Willie, that is. Only five from 15 English trained, possibly still out there.
2022 - WPM saddled six, but Grangee was his best home in 3rd at 13/2. JP's Dinoblue thumped to 11/8f on course, well beat. One for GB with Love Envoi for Harry Fry at 15/2 holding off Nickys 50/1 shot, Ahorsewithnoname. Love Envoi remains unbeaten. Had come from a 2m 4f G2 Mares hurdle at Sandown. Rated 135. IRE Bred. Two BFs unplaced.
2023 - Used to be easy this, but WPM hasn't now won any of the last three. Fine front running ride by Gavin Sheehan for Jamie Snowden on You Wear It Well. Pity we couldn't have said similar about AP Heskin for Henry de Bromhead given the circumstances. That mares' G2 2m 4f at Sandown becoming interesting. Luccia in 4th, heavily punted 6/4 N Henderson fav.
2024 - Jack on 5/6 Brighterdaysahead and Paul 2/1 Jade de Grugy. Dysart Enos lame in the morning. Neither paid any attention to Lorcan Williams on 10/1 Golden Ace. A result made in heaven for the bookies.
2025 - Rachael's penultimate Festival winner and a fine ride. Gets Air Of Entitlement 16s (SP 30s Betfair) up to beat the Cromwell trained Sixandahalf, the 94 rated flat mare. Yet another short priced jolly turned over in this. WPM threw seven at it, best Karoline Banbou 10/1 in 4th.
Only Tintangle 3rd 2019 and Mighty Blue 2021 have placed wearing any sort of headgear in any of the nine renewals. Six unplaced over the past three years including a WPM first time hood on Maughreen. 14 BFs last time ran over the last six years, best both Diva Luna and Rayna's World 100/1 in 3rd. Four of Willie's five winners were FR bred.
Eight from 10 had already run against geldings. Exceptions Laurina and Love Envoi had won a Graded Mares race last time out.
Five of the ten winners won a graded race last time out. Both I Wear It Well and Love Envoi won the G2 2m 4f Jane Seymour Mares Novice at Sandown. Golden Ace £7k Mares Novice at Taunton. Air Of Entitlement, a Boxing Day Down Royal 2m 4f maiden hurdle.
W Mullins - Has trained five of the ten winners. The first three were simple. Limini, Let's Dance and Laurina. All started with the letter L and all short priced favorites. BHA ratings of 145, 147 and 144 respectively. Eglantine Du Seuil was next. But at 50/1. In 2019 he ran 7 mares, My Sister Sarah at 13/2 unpl only one shorter than 20/1. Had a 1-2-6. Concertista returns in 2020. A Closutton 1-2-4-5 from four runners. Only Grangee 2022 third place in the last five from a total of 22 runners.
Only 4 winners of the Solerina Mares novice have come here. finishing 1/1/18/4. Limimi and Laurina the winners. Oldschool Outlaw.
Air Of Entitlement yet to be rated. The last previous non Willie winners rated 124, 135 twice and 136.
H de Bromhead - Three runners last year including the winner, Birdie Or Bust 3rd 2024 at 10s. Magical Zoe an unlucky 2nd 2023. (best not to think ever again about that ride, says my pocket, she's only since won an Ebor!), Telmesomethinggirl 2021 5/1 winner, Magic Daze 22/1 2nd 2021. Honeysuckle didn't run in this, injured at the time.
N Henderson - 0 from 13 but has had a 50/1 second and Luccia fav and fourth 2023.
Gordon Elliott - Apart from Brighterdaysahead has had others placed, Tingtangle, Barra and Halka de Tabert.
Before Air Of Entitlement, the previous two Irish trained winners finished 3rd in the DRF Mares h'cap. Vischio well beaten in the Coral Cup last year. The first three short priced winners had their previous run in the last week of January, two winning the G3 Mares Novice at Fairyhouse. Jade De Grugy 4th after a ride P Townend might like back. Eglantine du Seuil last seen when 3rd at Listowel in October.
There have been placed horses in this at 80/1, 66/1, 50/1 twice, 40/1, 100/1 and 22/1. Air Of Entitlement, You Wear It Well 16s and Eglantine du Seuil 50s big priced winners. The last seven favourites have been unplaced at at 85/40, 5/6, 6/4, 11/8, 9/2, 11/4 and 15/8 respectively.
Alan King trained Dusky Legend to be placed twice and The Glancing Queen, 5th in 2021.
First four winners were five year olds, the last six were six yrs of age. Seven yr olds are 0-26.
First five began their careers in France, three IRE bred. British Breds 1-28 (You Wear It Well). JP owned are 0-10 including Dinoblue 11/8 fav 2022 and Birdie Or Bust, a fair 3rd 2024.
Unbeaten this season and won Graded race last time out are 4-8