Bowe welcomes addition of mares race

Michael Bowe believes the David Nicholson Mares´ Only Hurdle is a "long overdue" addition to the Cheltenham Festival programme.

Bowe currently has one of the leading ante-post fancies for the race in his yard in the shape of Sweet Kiln and would have had a similarly well-supported contender in Solerina a few years ago.

The fact his former stable star did not have quite this kind of opportunity during her 40-race career is a source of regret for Bowe.

"The mares´ race at the Festival is high on the agenda for Sweet Kiln," said Bowe.

"A race like that is long overdue and I´m delighted that I have a mare good enough to go and support it.

"I made a point of watching Chomba Womba the last time and I was very impressed with her, but that is what racing is about and it will be very competitive.

"Good to firm ground suits her best. There was a belief early on in her career that she needed soft but she didn´t really, it was because she suffered from splints.

"She´s over that now and she travels well on good to firm ground.

"I´d have no worries about the ground at Cheltenham for her and if the ground came up heavy, that wouldn´t be a problem either.

"Solerina probably had more class in fairness, she could win on the Flat.

"I´m just sorry the mares´ race wasn´t around for her because she had to go over and take on Baracouda and Iris´s Gift and she was tiny in comparison," he told At The Races.

Sweet Kiln is the 3-1 favourite with VC Bet and Coral for the race named in honour of David Nicholson.