Mares Chase on The Race Lab

Panic Attack's Grand National Dream: The Numbers For and Against

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:00:00 +0000

No horse had ever won both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Coral Gold Cup in the same season. Then Panic Attack did it inside a fortnight.

We went through every winner of both races in the SmartForm database. Not one horse had doubled up in a single campaign — until this ten-year-old mare rattled off victories at Cheltenham on November 15th and Newbury on November 29th, improving from a rating of 135 to what is now 147 after her stroll in a Listed mares’ chase at Newbury in January.

Dinoblue Heads Strong Mares' Chase Entry — But It's McManus Who Really Owns This Race

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The entries for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival have been revealed, with 24 possibles declared — a stronger numerical entry than the previous two renewals combined. Defending champion Dinoblue heads the market at 7/4, with stablemate Spindleberry next at 7/2.

But look past the individual horses and a bigger pattern emerges. JP McManus hasn’t just had success in this race — he’s owned it.

Four From Five

Since the Mares’ Chase was introduced to the Festival card in 2021, McManus has won it four times from five attempts. Elimay (2022), Impervious (2023), Limerick Lace (2024), and Dinoblue (2025) all carried the famous green and gold hoops past the post first. The only year he didn’t win — 2021 — Elimay still finished second behind Colreevy.

Dinoblue and the McManus Monopoly: Why the Mares' Chase Is His Race to Lose

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:00:00 +0000

There are monopolies in racing, and then there’s JP McManus in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.

Since the race was introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 2021, McManus has owned four of the five winners. That’s not a trend. That’s ownership of the race in all but name.

Impervious, Elimay, Limerick Lace, and Dinoblue — all carried the famous green and gold hoops past the post first. The only year McManus missed out was the inaugural running, when Colreevy won for the Flynns. Even then, Elimay finished second for him.