Jamie Snowden's mare, You Wear It Well, is poised to take on the Ashton Mares' Hurdle at Haydock this Saturday, marking a long-awaited return to the track after a season plagued by inclement weather conditions.
The seven-year-old triumphed in the Jack De Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the esteemed Cheltenham Festival last year and made a promising start to this campaign by clinching the Listed bet365 Mares' Hurdle on her debut at Wetherby.
However, her journey has been fraught with obstacles, with the ramifications of British winter weather wreaking havoc on her racing plans. Despite performing admirably to secure a commendable third place in the relocated Fighting Fifth at Sandown, subsequent outings at Sandown, Lingfield, and Ascot were thwarted due to unfavourable conditions. The Warwick meeting, which initially included the Ashton Mares' Hurdle, suffered the same fate and was abandoned last weekend.
This weekend, Haydock will finally play host to the Ashton Mares' Hurdle, a highly anticipated two-mile-three-furlong Listed event featuring a field of five runners. Trainer Jamie Snowden expressed his satisfaction with You Wear It Well's condition, highlighting her productive training sessions on the grass in preparation for the race. However, he remains cautiously optimistic, hoping that adverse weather conditions will not disrupt proceedings at Haydock.
Looking ahead, You Wear It Well remains entered in the prestigious Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival, which stands as the primary target. Nevertheless, Snowden contemplates providing her with an additional entry in the Coral Cup, allowing each race to influence the decision for subsequent events, as is customary in the dynamic world of horse racing.