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The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase Grade 2 race is the newest race of the Cheltenham Festival with this being the fourth running.
The Mares' races are becoming more prominent, and I don't mind them, including the Mares' Novice and Mares' Hurdle races. It can be said to dilute the better races, but I think the Mares deserve their own races as running against the boys can be a very tough ask.
Cheltenham 4:50 – No Bet
I am not going to bother to have a bet in this race, I am not confident enough to back the favourite and I'm not confident enough to back something against her.
If Dinoblue stays the trip, she probably will win, but I'm unsure on whether she will stay and I'm unsure that her form makes her the rating that she is. She is rated 160, but surely that is a bit too high. She has won a Grade 1 against the boys, but that was against Gentleman De Mee who was making his seasonal return and the others in behind didn't exactly run to form. She was convincingly beaten by El Fabiolo, but he does that to a lot of horses. On the ratings and RPRs she will be a tough nut to crack if staying the trip out, but it's not a certainty that she will stay the trip and it was starting to rain towards the back end of the afternoon so it will be a test.
I was tempted to go with Allegorie De Vassy for this against the favourite as she was very impressive at Naas last time out under a double penalty. She beat Rivier D'etel and thumped Maskada who I was keen on in that race. She was 2nd in this race last year and looked like the winner jumping the last but she got outstayed by Impervious who is a very good horse. Given that she was outstayed last year, that put too much doubt in my mind to take the favourite on, as did the horse back in 3rd who doesn't make me believe the form is as strong as it looks.
Limerick Lace will stay the trip and then some, she is a stayer who has been placed over 3m so stamina is not in the question, but her jumping is, and the form she is running at. She has done her winning against lesser company and she's well found in the market as well as Keith Donoghue making her his pick for the race.
I can't really see any of the others getting involved and if I was to have a bet in the race it probably would be a combination tricast between the three.
