Officially registered as the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle has been run under its current sponsored title since 2022 and is currently scheduled as the opening race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival A Grade 2 contest, run over two miles and a furlong on the New Course, the race is, as the name suggests, restricted to fillies and mares aged four years and upwards, who, prior to the current season, had not won a race of hurdles. It was added to the Cheltenham Festival program as recently as 2016.
Willie Mullins, who saddled five winners in a row, Limini (2016), Let’s Dance (2017), Laurina (2018), Eglantine du Seuil (2019) and Concertista (2020), is the leading trainer in the relatively brief history of the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.The retired pair Ruby Walsh and Rachael Blackmore both rode two winners apiece – Limini (2016) and Let’s Dance (2017), and Telmesomethinggirl (2021) and Air Of Entitlement (2025), respectively – and share the mantle of leading jockey.
Trends-wise, exactly 10 runnings of the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle have produced three winning favourites, but none since 2018. All told, six of the 10 winners came from the first three in the betting, but, by way of illustrating that fancied mares do not have things all their own way, were supplemented by winners at 50.1, 16/1 (twice) and 15/2. In terms of preparatory races, the Jane Seymour Novice Hurdle at Sandown, Solerina Mares Hurdle at Fairyhouse and Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown have collectively produced six winners of the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle so far. Distance form, at up to two miles and five furlongs, appears more important than course form.
