In Form Lady Buttons to Take Doncaster Mares Hurdle

There are few mares you would like to own more than Lady Buttons and she can reward her owners once more with a fourth win from four starts this season when she heads to Doncaster for the Grade Two mares hurdle on Saturday. She returns to the course where she picked up her last win, although that was over the bigger obstacles, showing just what a tough and versatile mare she really is. She is three from three so far, two over fences and one over hurdles, and a win here would make it two of each, something I am backing her to do.

This isn’t the most competitive mares hurdle out there for a Grade Two, and it is no surprise to see Lady Buttons as the favourite in the field. A young up and coming mare, Chica Buena, may be the main danger to her. She racked up a hat trick of wins since moving to the Keith Dalgleish yard, although that was ended last time out when she finished second in a handicap.

This horse probably isn’t good enough to win a Grade Two, but this is as good a chance as she will ever get as she gets an allowance in weight of nearly a stone here, due to her age and the penalty that Lady Buttons has to carry. However, having said that, I still don’t think it will be enough for Chica Buena to turn the tables on Philip Kirby trained Lady Buttons and she looks to be the best bet on the Doncaster card on Saturday afternoon.