Will JP McManus land a fourth Mares' Chase on the spin?

The Mares' Chase was added to the Cheltenham Festival programme in 2021 and has so far proved a benefit for top owner JP McManus, with three wins on the spin since Elimay was denied in the inaugural running.

She went a place better in 2022 for Willie Mullins, while Impervious for Colm Murphy and Limerick Lace for Gavin Cromwell have landed the most recent renewals of the Grade 2 contest over the extended two-and-a-half-miles.

After four Irish-trained winners, three in the McManus silks — can anyone prevent more JP glory on March 14th?

Trio of McManus hopefuls stand tall

When the final entries were made, there were three contenders from the JP McManus umbrella left in the picture.

Dinoblue for Willie Mullins will attempt to better last year's second, when denied by the well-backed Gavin Cromwell mare Limerick Lace. Cromwell could double up with the improving Bioluminescence.

A year ago, it was a double-pronged attack in a field of nine mares, with the McManus pair dominating the finish. This time, 19 remain in the melting pot ahead of the final declarations.

How are the McManus trio shaping up ahead of Cheltenham?

Dinoblue

Mares' Chase odds: 9/4

Dinoblue perhaps deserves a change of fortune at this meeting. She was a weakening ninth in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle in 2022 then finished second as Maskada won the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual over fences a year later.

It was a silver medal again last time, this time in a blockbuster duel up the Cheltenham hill as Limerick Lace repelled her gamely.

Dinoblue has a magnificent record of consistency since she went chasing, boasting figures of 122211-11223-241 in three-and-a-half seasons.

Her biggest success was the Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown during the Christmas meeting in 2023.

Though yet to win over this trip, she showed last March in her protracted duel with Limerick Lace that it is well within her compass and she returns off the back of a gutsy defeat of Allegorie De Vassy at Naas in January.

Bioluminescence

Mares' Chase odds: 10/3

The new kid on the block, Bioluminescence is set to threaten the established order. Gavin Cromwell's charge was lightly-raced but promising over hurdles last year and made a perfect start over fences when scoring at Limerick in a 2m6½f Grade 2 novice event in December, doing so with just minimal urging from Derek O'Connor in the saddle.

She then tackled 3m1f in a Naas Grade 3 in January, finishing second to Willie Mullins' gelding Dancing City, with Good Land behind in third.

She is entirely unexposed and should find the slight drop in trip no problem on a stiff track like Cheltenham's New Course. Connections have, however, been keen to stress that Bioluminescence will only run if the ground conditions are suitably soft.

Limerick Lace

Mares Chase odds: 8/1

A year ago Limerick Lace arrived in the Gloucestershire countryside very much on the up, with wins at Clonmel and Doncaster over 2m2½f/2m4½f either side of finishing second to Coko Beach in the Troytown at Navan over 3m.

On the day at Cheltenham, she was strong in the market and equally durable in the finish to fend off Dinoblue.

This year, things could scarcely be different after wide margin defeats in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November and then beaten 25 lengths behind Allegorie De Vassy at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day.

Cromwell admits that he is at a loss to uncover what has gone wrong, but worryingly suggests this mare has not been sparkling either at home or on the track.

Verdict

The right ground would make Bioluminescence a strong danger to all concerned in the Mares' Chase, but with Limerick Lace seemingly out of love with the game, it could fall to Dinoblue to extend the McManus stranglehold on this race.

She rarely runs a bad race, was in excellent shape in her win last time and had before that run well behind Grade 1 geldings in both starts in her three runs since Cheltenham last March. This could be her time.

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