Nicky Henderson revealed his intention to supplement facile Newbury Premier Handicap heroine Joyeuse for the Festival Mares’ Hurdle on the opening day of Cheltenham.
From the same family as the yard’s six-time Grade 1 winner and 2020 Champion Hurdle scorer Epatante, the lightly-raced six-year-old also runs in the colours of JP McManus. Joyeuse will now have her connections pay a £4,800 supplementary fee to put her in the mares only race on Tuesday, 11 March at the penultimate declaration stage.
Leading Irish owner McManus is no stranger to this process. Just last year, he forked out a far greater fee so Iberico Lord could run in the Champion Hurdle. Joyeuse followed in the hoofprints of that owner-stable companion by landing the big handicap hurdle at Newbury, best known in recent years as the Betfair Hurdle.
The assessor hit her with a 15lb rise in the weights, prompting connections to try her in graded company. Joyeuse has previous experience of Cheltenham races with a second on the New Course during a mares only handicap in December.
She was unlucky that day after finding herself short of racing room coming down to the final flight. By the time Joyeuse was in the clear, Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Wodhooh had the contest won.
This course form has been franked in the meantime, not just by the runner-up but the third and fourth as well. Take No Chances lowered the colours of Kargese in the Grade 2 Warfield at Ascot, while Royale Margaux landed a Listed event around Warwick.
Joyeuse Decision Receives Mixed Reaction from Bookies
It depends on who you wager with as to the available prices on Cheltenham betting sites for the Mares’ Hurdle. Following the announcement by Henderson, Joyeuse was as shot as 5/1 and as big as 12/1.
This year’s edition of the Mares’ Hurdle, registered as the David Nicholson, looks up for grabs. This is because of high-profile defections expected by Elliott with Brighterdaysahead and Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth from the race to the Champion Hurdle.
Both of those powerful Irish stables have other females who they feel can win this gender-restricted Grade 1 event. Among the Cheltenham horses entered and going down this route are Jade De Grugy, Kala Conti and Kargese. The latter is also prominent in the County Hurdle betting.
That mixed reception from the bookies to Joyeuse may be down to official figures. Even off her revised mark of 138, she sits 1lb last year’s fourth Lantry Lady. A number of mares have ratings over 140 with Jade De Grugy (149), Gala Marceau, Jetara (both 145) and Golden Ace (144) among them.
July Flower, the leading hope for the Henry De Bromhead stable in the Mares’ Hurdle, also looks likely to have a comparative mark to these. In other words, Joyeuse must improve again on her Newbury exploits again if she wants to upset the Cheltenham favourites here.
How Have Recent Winners of the Valuable Newbury Hurdle Fared at Cheltenham?
Another potential reason for bookmakers’ reacting differently to a visually impressive performance from the mare is how Newbury winners get on come Cheltenham. Joyeuse won the big handicap in Berkshire on the bridle, but coming to the Festival afterwards has been something of a graveyard in recent years.
Indeed, past Cheltenham results don’t make good reading at all. Iberico Lord, supplemented for the Champion Hurdle 12 months ago, pulled-up as the step up in grade to the highest level was just too big a leap. The 2023 Betfair Hurdle winner Aucunrisque finished 18th in the County Hurdle on Gold Cup day and his next start.
Glory And Fortune, successful around Newbury in 2022, was a never-nearer fifth in the Champion Hurdle. He was never put in the race and ridden for minor honours, later being promoted to fourth place. Soaring Glory, victorious in 2021, was a distant fourth in the Supreme.
Pic D’Orhy, kept away from Cheltenham with great success by Paul Nicholls, didn’t even run at the 2020 Festival. You have to go back until 2018 for a Betfair Hurdle winner getting in the top three at this meeting.
That was Kalashnikov, who fought out the finish of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Summerville Boy. Joyeuse probably has an easier assignment in the Mares than other Grade 1 hurdle races on the opening day of the Cheltenham schedule, but it’s not an encouraging record.
The Newbury handicap may leave its mark on horses, run about a month or so before the Festival. Joyeuse won as she liked, though, with any amount in hand. You can see why connections want to roll the dice and step her back up in trip albeit against better opposition.
