Grade One Mares' Hurdle winner at the Cheltenham festival Maries' Rock for Nicky Henderson is looking to scoop another top prize this month as she heads to the Punchestown festival.
The Middleham Park Racing owned mare has been a smart horse over the years and finally fulfilled all of her potential at the Cheltenham festival when seeing off Queen's Brook in the Mares Hurdle to land the spoils at 18/1.
The victory was a third for the mare this season and has inspired her owners to head to the Punchestown Festival for the Grade One Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle, another contest over the same 2m4f trip.
(Credit ATR) “Barring an act of God, we’ll be heading over there,” said Tom Palin, MPR’s National Hunt manager.
🚀 Marie's Rock keeps on powerfully to score in good style for @MprUpdates & completes a double @NdeBoinville & @sevenbarrows @CheltenhamRaces
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 15, 2022
Both Telmesomethinggirl & Indefatigable are up OK 👍 pic.twitter.com/wwf1y6Hkyn
"As for who we’ve got to take on, it’s my understanding from speaking to Nicky (Henderson) on Tuesday that it is still very much up in the air.“
Epatante is in there and if she turns up then she’s going to be the one to beat now that we’ve seen she can stay two and a half miles.“
If she turns up then she’s a Grade One-winning mare in a Grade One mares’ race – it is what it is and to be the best you’ve got to beat the best, so we’ll give it our best shot.”