Marie’s Rock will defend her crown in Tuesday’s Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

Marie’s Rock will defend her crown in Tuesday’s Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle after the prospect of soft Cheltenham Festival ground scuppered the plan to up her to three miles for the first time in Thursday’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

Nico De Boinville will ride Marie’s Rock, who was last seen when an impressive six-length winner of the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s day.

The decision means trainer Nicky Henderson will now have three runners in the two and a half mile grade one mares’ race with 2020 Champion Hurdle winner Epatante (Aidan Coleman) and improving Theatre Glory (Daryl Jacob) also representing him.

Marie’s Rock’s participation also means that the 2023 running of the race arguably will be the strongest ever with the line-up also including the Henry De Bromhead-trained dual Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle who will be racing for the final time before being retired to stud.

Marie’s Rock is owned by Middleham Park Racing, whose National Hunt racing manager Tom Palin said: ‘I would love to see her over three miles in the near future and that will probably happen at Aintree next month when there is a grade one race on Grand National day.

‘She has a tendency to be a little bit free in the early part of her races and with the ground due to be soft or even worse we have decided to save the three-mile experiment to another day.

‘She is the defending champion but it is a serious line-up this year and there would be no shame in defeat. It will be a fascinating race.’

The first day of the Festival is potentially massive for Henderson with his unbeaten stable star Constitution Hill odds-on favourite for the Unibet Champion where he will face six opponents headed by Mullins-trained Irish Champion Hurdle winner State Man.

Henderson’s Jonbon and the Mullins-trained El Fabiolo are the principal contenders for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase while Henderson has booked leading Irish amateur jockey Derek O’Connor for Mister Coffey in the Wellchild National Hunt Chase.

The prospect of soft ground at Cheltenham is also concerning Irish trainer Shark Hanlon ahead of Hewick’s potential participation in Friday’s Boodles Gold Cup.

The bargain buy, who only cost 850 euros, is at his best on drier ground and Hanlon must also consider his entry in next month’s Randox Grand National.

Hanlon said: ‘You don’t want to leave his race at Cheltenham with the National only four weeks away.’