Quevega to defend Mares' crown

Racing: Quevega will defend her crown in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Willie Mullins told race sponsors…

Racing:Quevega will defend her crown in the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Willie Mullins told race sponsors OLBG.

Speculation had been mounting that the outstanding eight-year-old would instead run in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle after four-time winner Big Buck’s was ruled out for the season on Monday. Many bookmakers had even installed her as the new favourite for the Grade One over three miles in March.

But Mullins said today Quevega will again be primed for the mares-only race which she has won for the last four seasons. “She’ll be going for the OLBG and not the World Hurdle,” the County Carlow trainer admitted.