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.