Marsh Wren, who secured third place in Cheltenham, concluded their season

Marsh Wren, trained by Stuart Edmunds, will conclude her season after delivering her best performance at the Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old mare has had an outstanding season, finishing in the top three in all five of her races and seeing her rating rise from 122 to 145.

She began her season with a victory in a Warwick novices' handicap and followed it up with a second-place finish in the Listed Lady Godiva Chase at Wincanton, earning some valuable black-type form. Marsh Wren then triumphed in an EBF Mares' Novices' Chase Series Qualifier at Uttoxeter before travelling to Thurles in Ireland to secure first place in the Listed Colreevy Mares Novice Chase.

Impressed by her performance and the soft ground, her connections decided to enter her in the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, where she was rated lower than all but one of her competitors and went off at odds of 28-1 with jockey Ciaran Gethings.

In the race, Limerick Lace trained by Gavin Cromwell and Dinoblue trained by Willie Mullins battled for the lead, whilst Marsh Wren displayed tenacity up the hill to finish a commendable third ahead of Allegorie De Vassy.

Stuart Edmunds believes that Marsh Wren has accomplished enough for the season and has chosen not to compete in the EBF Mares' Novices' Chase Series at Cheltenham in April. Instead, she will have an early break and is expected to return to training in the autumn. However, if she fails to show the same enthusiasm or does not perform well, her connections have no qualms about retiring her and breeding from her.

Edmunds expressed his satisfaction with Marsh Wren's successful season and praised her resilience. He credited the rain at Cheltenham for suiting her and acknowledged that she had surpassed expectations. Looking ahead, the owners plan to keep her and breed from her, indicating their fondness for the mare's future as a broodmare.