Black Tears foils Concertista in Mares’ Hurdle thriller

Ashley Iveson and Nick Robson
March 16, 2021 4:15 pm

First Festival winner for trainer Denise Foster, after taking over at Gordon Elliott’s yard.

Black Tears got up in the final strides to give trainer Denise Foster a first Cheltenham Festival winner in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

Foster is currently in charge of Gordon Elliott’s string at Cullentra House Stables in County Meath while he is serving a suspension.

Jack Kennedy produced Black Tears (11-1) with a perfectly-timed challenge to deny the Willie Mullins-trained 10-11 favourite Concertista in a thrilling finish to the two-and-a-half-mile contest.

Black Tears takes the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
It’s a tight one and she’s won by a head!#ITVRacing #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/50NJBlaxzV
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 16, 2021

Great White Shark and Floressa made the early running, with Roksana and Indefatigable tracking them and Concertista held up at the rear.

The complexion of the race changed coming down the hill when Roksana made her bid – but Concertista was hot on her heels.

The latter looked the likely winner when she jumped the last in front, but she had no answer to Black Tears, who got up to win by a head with Roksana two and three-quarter lengths away in third and Indefatigable fourth.

Elliott was banned for 12 months, with the last six months suspended, after an image of him sitting on a dead horse appeared on social media. Foster took over the licence at the yard last week.