Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle 2026 Trends For The Cheltenham Festival

By Oliver Lines

Feb 18th, 2026 11:15 AM EST

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2026 Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle Trends

Even in a Cheltenham Festival race with so little history, following trends can still pay dividends when spending your Cheltenham free bets wisely! We've taken a look at the most important Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle trends and used them to find you the best horses to follow on your horse racing betting sites for the 2026 Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

All 10 winners:

• Had run up to nine times over hurdles
• Finished in the top three in their last race - seven winning
• Had never won at Cheltenham before - only two had run
• Were aged five or six

Nine of the race's 10 winners:

• Had won that season (exception was maiden Concertista)
• Had run 2-5 times that season (Air Of Entitlement)
• Had at least one win over hurdles

Eight of the race's 10 winners:

• Last ran no more than 47 days ago (Eglantine Du Seuil, Air Of Entitlement)

Seven of the race's 10 winners:

• Were rated 135 or higher (Eglantine Du Seuil, Golden Ace, Air Of Entitlement)

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Key Trials for the Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle

A clear pattern with regards to stepping-stone races has yet to emerge. Willie Mullins does prefer to test his contenders at Fairyhouse or Leopardstown, whilst two of the last three winners last ran at Sandown.

• The Grade 3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse has been won by two winners of this race (Limini and Laurina). Oldschool Outlaw won this for Gordon Elliott in 2026.
• Mullins' 2019 and 2020 winners were both beaten on their final start before the festival, so it’s clear that he is capable of getting his runners to step up markedly on previous form on the big day. Each of the last four winners have won their race immediately prior to this won, with Mullins not saddling any of them.
• Two winners of this race also won the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Sandown in February (Love Envoi and You Wear It Well). That particular race was won by Kingston Queen this year.

Trainer Trends

• This race was initially dominated by Willie Mullins, who won the first five editions, trained the first two home in 2019, and saddled four of the first five in 2020. However, his best finish since then has been third.
• Henry De Bromhead has emerged as a serious source of good jumping mares overall, and he trained first and second in 2021, before getting second in 2023, third in 2024 and the winner last year.
• Harry Fry saddled the first British-trained winner of the race in 2022 when Love Envoi beat Ahorsewithnoname, Jamie Snowden followed that up with You Wear It Well in 2023, and Jeremy Scott-trained Golden Ace got the victory last year.

Jockey Trends

• Ruby Walsh won the first two iterations of this race and Rachael Blackmore has also won it twice, with the rest all having been won by different jockeys.

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How Did The Trends Do Last Year?

Air Of Entitlement followed some of the trends set out since Willie Mullins' last winner in 2020. She had won he previous run to this race and never been to Cheltenham before. As well, she was six years old. However, she was in just her third hurdle race and was only the second runner (after Eglantine De Seuil) to win without an official rating.

2025 Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle Result

Who Fits The Trends Best In 2026?

Winner of one of the previous key trends races, Oldschool Outlaw looks to be a strong trends pick. She is six years old, would be running her third-ever hurdle race and has won her last two races. She would be just the third winner of the race without a rating, but she would be the third in the last seven and could be an emerging trend.

Henry De Bromhead has had a great record in recent runnings of this race, and his best shout this year would appear to be Echoing Silence, who was last seen winning a Listed hurdle at Punchestown. While she won't have run since December, that didn't put off last year's winner, another De Bromhead runner.

The first two home in the Grade 2 at Sandown in February, Kingston Queen and White Noise all have strong trends appeal, even if their official rating would be lower than the majority of winners.

2026 Mares' Novice Hurdle Odds

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day One Trends

• Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Arkle Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Ultima Handicap Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Mares' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Trends
• Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Trends
• National Hunt Novices' Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Two Trends

• Turners Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Trends
• Coral Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Cross Country Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Chase Trends
• Grand Annual Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Bumper Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Three Trends

• Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
• Pertemps Final Trends
• Ryanair Chase Trends
• Stayers' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Festival Plate Handicap Trends
• Kim Muir Handicap Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Four Trends

• Triumph Hurdle Trends
• County Hurdle Trends
• Mares' Chase Trends
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Trends
• Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Trends

About the Author

Oliver Lines

More About Oliver

Oliver has been involved in sports betting writing since 2017 and has covered all manner of events during that time, including football, NFL, golf, cricket, and horse racing. It’s no surprise, that he holds an interest in most sports and loves finding underappreciated markets to have a punt on. Oliver also has years of experience on the casino side of things and can spot a poor bonus from a mile away.

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