Magen can prove a star turn

The last time a mare was victorious in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle was back in 2002 when the Christy Roche-trained Like A Butterfly justified her status as the Irish Banker at odds of just 7-4.

Four years prior to that, the Pat Flynn-trained French Ballerina was a less welcome winner for our team when she upset the Richard Hughes-ridden favourite, His Song, with more than a little to spare.

In recent times, the Nicky Henderson-trained Amaretto Rose was strongly fancied to make another mark for the fairer sex but the hitherto unbeaten six-year-old, sent off the 2-1 favourite in 2007, found the rough and tumble of the Festival opener too much for her as she raced home third behind Willie Mullins' Ebaziyan.

It's fair to say that fillies and mares make up a very small percentage of the runners in this race but when the decision is made to allow them take their place it's usually in the belief they're of above average ability and capable of having a say. Those are sentiments applicable to Tommy Stack's Magen's Star who, having made a real impact since having her focus switched to the national hunt code, is the sole representative of the ladies in this afternoon’s race.

Very useful but not brilliant on the level, the six-year-old daughter of 2001 English and Irish Derby winner Galileo has won her two hurdles to date by an aggregate winning margin of 31 lengths. She's beaten nothing of much note and her no-nonsense approach to hurdling has meant she's never seen another rival but that’s a luxury she's unlikely to enjoy this afternoon.

Today's favourite, Cue Card, boasts a level of form seldom brought into this event, and a performance of the highest calibre will be required to deny Colin Tizzard's horse victory. The recent inclusion of the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle has offered an alternative for the ladies and so Tommy Stack’s decision to allow his mare take on the boys could be construed as a real positive.

Of course the prospect of some cut in the ground on the Old Course (being used on Tuesday and Wednesday) may have helped sway the decision.

Magen's Star is a real talent and may well develop into a Mares' Hurdle contender in time but this could prove to be a vintage Supreme. Nicky Henderson appears to have unearthed some potential stars from France and his runners, along with Cue Card, and the battle-hardened Recession Proof, make Magen’s Star’s task formidable.

Tommy Stack, who won the 1977 Grand National aboard Red Rum and battled through debilitating illness, has climbed higher mountains. That in mind, today’s task seems anything but insurmountable.