The Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle, run as the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle for sponsorship purposes, is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to fillies and mares aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 179 yards, or 3,382 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The race was first run in 2016 as a new race at the Cheltenham Festival, expanding the meeting to 28 races. The race was sponsored by Trull House Stud and run as the Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle from 2016 to 2018. In 2019 the race was sponsored by Tattersalls in conjunction with a group of National Hunt breeders including Trull House Stud before Daylesford took over as sponsor for the 2020 running. The 2021 race was sponsored by Parnell Properties and Ryanair took over the sponsorship from the 2022 running.
Records Leading jockey (2 wins): Ruby Walsh - Limini (2016), Let's Dance (2017) Rachael Blackmore - Telmesomethinggirl (2021), Air Of Entitlement (2025)
Leading trainer (5 wins): Willie Mullins - Limini (2016), Let's Dance (2017), Laurina (2018), Eglantine du Seuil (2019), Concertista (2020)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 2016 Limini 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2017 Let's Dance 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2018 Laurina 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2019 Eglantine Du Seuil 5 Noel Fehily Willie Mullins 2020 Concertista 6 Daryl Jacob Willie Mullins 2021 Telmesomethinggirl 6 Rachael Blackmore Henry de Bromhead 2022 Love Envoi 6 Jonathan Burke Harry Fry 2023 You Wear It Well 6 Gavin Sheehan Jamie Snowden 2024 Golden Ace 6 Lorcan Williams Jeremy Scott 2025 Air Of Entitlement 6 Rachael Blackmore Henry de Bromhead 2026 White Noise 6 Tom Bellamy Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
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