From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle
Hurdle horse race in Britain
Hurdle horse race in Britain
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| class | Grade 1 |
| horse race | David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle |
| (Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle) | |
| location | Cheltenham Racecourse |
| Cheltenham, England | |
| inaugurated | 2008 |
| race type | Hurdle race |
| sponsor | Close Brothers Group |
| website | Cheltenham |
| distance | 2m 3f 200y (4,005 metres) |
| surface | Turf |
| track | Left-handed |
| qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| fillies & mares | |
| weight | 10 st 7 lb (4yo); |
| 11 st 5 lb (5yo+) | |
| purse | £124,200 (2025) |
| 1st: £69,887 |
(Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle) Cheltenham, England fillies & mares 11 st 5 lb (5yo+) 1st: £69,887 |} The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (2 miles, 3 furlongs and 200 yards, or 4380 yd), and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The race's registered title commemorates David Nicholson (1939–2006), who was successful as both a jockey and a trainer in National Hunt racing. Nicholson's record at the Cheltenham Festival included five victories as a jockey, and seventeen as a trainer.
This race was established in 2008, and in its inaugural year it was held on the final day of the Festival on Cheltenham's New Course. It was switched to the opening day on the Old Course in 2009. It was initially given Grade 2 status and was upgraded to Grade 1 status from the 2015 running. From 2012 to 2019 it was run as the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.
Records
Most successful horse (6 wins):
- Quevega – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Leading jockey (8 wins):
- Ruby Walsh – Quevega (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016), Benie Des Dieux (2018)
Leading trainer (11 wins):
- Willie Mullins – Quevega (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), Glens Melody (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016), Benie Des Dieux (2018), Lossiemouth (2024, 2025)
Winners
| Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | ||||
| Age | ||||
| Jockey | ||||
| Trainer | ||||
| 2008 | Whiteoak | 5 | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain, Jr. |
| 2009 | Quevega | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2010 | Quevega | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2011 | Quevega | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2012 | Quevega | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2013 | Quevega | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2014 | Quevega | 10 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2015 | Glens Melody | 7 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2016 | Vroum Vroum Mag | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2017 | Apple's Jade | 5 | Bryan Cooper | Gordon Elliott |
| 2018 | Benie Des Dieux | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2019 | Roksana | 7 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2020 | Honeysuckle | 6 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2021 | Black Tears | 7 | Jack Kennedy | Denise Foster |
| 2022 | Marie's Rock | 7 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2023 | Honeysuckle | 9 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2024 | Lossiemouth | 5 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2025 | Lossiemouth | 6 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
References
- Racing Post:
- , , , , , , , , ,
- , , , , , , ,
- pedigreequery.com – David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle – Cheltenham.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (28 February 2008).
- OLBG.com – OLBG Mares' Hurdle – Cheltenham (15 February 2012).
References
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report