Cheltenham Festival Mares’ Chase Tips

The penultimate race of the Cheltenham Festival, the Mares’ Chase is run over 2 miles and 4.5 furlongs, across the New Course. It takes place on the Friday, also known as Gold Cup day, and is the final graded race at the festival. In total, there are 17 fences to be navigated by the field as they make their way across the track, with the harsh nature of the closing stages of the race rewarding those horses that have the greatest stamina. This is just one of the factors to take into consideration when making looking at 2024 Mares’ Chase betting tips and making your own predictions on which horse will come out on top.

Mares Chase Betting Odds

16.50 - Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Grade 2, 2m4½f)

Dinoblue will go off favourite, and it's hard seeing anything else beat her. She’s been in mighty form this year, beating the likes of Fill Dor, Saint Roi & Gentleman De Mee, with her only defeat coming to El Fabiolo. The only slight question mark around her is the trip, having only run over this distance once in a hurdle race where she finished fourth, but she finishes her races off well, and an extra half-mile should not be an issue.

Selection: Dinoblue

About the Mares’ Chase

The Mares’ Chase has only been run since 2021, when it was added to the Cheltenham Festival calendar as a replacement for the Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase. The race is open to female horses aged five years and older, Willie Mullins won the first two renditions of this race with eight-year-old horses but Colm Murphy took the prize last year with Impervious who had too much for the Mullins-trained Allegorie De Vassy

If you’re wondering about the race’s full name, the Liberthine Mares’ Chase, its title comes from a former Cheltenham Racecourse chairman’s horse. Libertine was a mare owned by Robert Waley-Cohen, whose son Sam won the 2022 Grand National atop Noble Yeats.

Mare’s Chase Tips

The relatively new status of this race makes it a very difficult event to predict, although the fact that it has restrictions on competitors and is run on a familiar course does at least provide some small insight. The unpredictability is part of what adds to the excitement of watching the Mares’ Chase, as the horses trade positions towards the end of the course due to the steeper incline found once they approach Cheltenham hill. Therefore, the key factor to consider in lieu of more traditional winner trends may be the perceived stamina and fitness of the horses taking part.

How to Bet on the Mares’ Chase

To place a wager on the Mares’ Chase, you simply need to navigate to the dedicated section of the BetUK sportsbook to see the available betting options. From here, you can then select the horse that you wish to bet on, and it will be added to your betslip. You can choose whether you want to place a bet on your chosen horse to win, or whether you wish to place an each-way bet, the terms of which will be listed within the slip. Once you’ve decided on your Mares’ Chase bet, simply enter the stake you wish to use, and it will be deducted from your total balance.

Bet on the Mares’ Chase

Mares’ Chase FAQs

What Distance is the Cheltenham Mares’ Chase?

The Mares’ Chase is run on the New Course at the Cheltenham Festival, over a distance of 2 miles and 4.5 furlongs.

Who Has Won the Mares’ Chase?

The Mares’ Chase has only been run three times previously, with Colreevy winning in 2021, Elimay winning in 2022 and Impervious in 2023.

How Much Do You Win For the Mares’ Chase?

The prize pot for the 2024 Mares’ Chase is roughly £120,000, with £67,500 going to the winner.