No gamble on Rahinston Stud's queen at the Goffs Arkle Sale

Queens Gamble, the Listed bumper winner with the distinctive white G on her chestnut face whose exploits last season were an emotional uplift for her trainer Oliver Sherwood as he underwent gruelling treatment for lymphoma, has also ensured that the printers needed more bold black type for the catalogue page of her sister who sells at Goffs this week.

Harry and Lorna Fowler's Rahinston Stud consigns the daughter of Getaway out of Gambling Girl at the Arkle Sale, and as Harry explains her dam is a mare who never shirked a challenge on the track for her owners, the Frost and Galvin families.

"Gambling Girl was a very versatile mare from running in Listed races on the Flat to winning a Grade 3 over hurdles at Down Royal," he says. "She always turned up and took the Galvin and Frost families all over Ireland. She was a very genuine mare, she won a bumper and was fourth in the Listed Stanerra Stakes and won over fences, she really tried everything."

For her first covering she was sent to Getaway and produced Queens Gamble, who resembles her dam in so many ways.

"She was big and rangy and slightly backward but between mother and daughter there is that same intelligence, they both have a very good brain and are laid back," continues Fowler.

When Queens Gamble was sent into training with the soon-to-retire Sherwood, not much was expected of her as she was still raw and although clearly a talented mare, she saves her best for when it counts.

Harry Fowler (middle) is offering Queens Gamble's sister this weekCredit: Patrick McCann

"She won her bumper on debut at Cheltenham last year and then came out and won the Listed Evesham mares' bumper on her second start.There was an emotional side to it as well as Oliver was going through treatment for cancer and Queens Gamble helped," Fowler says of the remarkable mare who enjoys listening to music in her stable.

The five-year-old made a winning start to her hurdling career in May and will be aimed at Grade 1 novices later in the season, with the potential for further black type upgrades for the family. It is one that possess a blend of Flat and National Hunt performers and Fowler believes the Flat form on the page is a strong positive.

"Gambling Girl's dam Gambling Spirit won on the Flat for Henry Candy and owners including Alex Frost's father and [television presenter] John Inverdale and there is that speed in the family. It's that class with respect to the Flat. Gambling Spirit is by Mister Baileys and although Hawk Wing is Gambling Girl's sire, his own sire Woodman did better as a broodmare sire than a sire."

Unlike her older sister, lot 315 is bay and doesn't have that unmistakable facial branding but Fowler notices the marked similarities in temperament that the filly shares with her mother and sister.

"She's a lovely filly too, nice and laid back and has that intelligence too," he adds.

As a full-sister to a classy mare with the potential to improve further, the temptation to retain her was strong but it's a family not short of fillies.

"There are a few fillies in the line," Fowler says. "Gambling Spirit, who started the story, is still around and has a two-year-old Harzand filly while Gambling Girl has a daughter of that age by Walk In The Park. She's in foal to Karaktar and hopefully she holds on to that pregnancy."

In between Queens Gamble and this filly, Gambling Girl foaled a Jukebox Jury colt who made €40,000 to Milestone Bloodstock at this sale last year, but that was before Queens Gamble started her reign. Her sister will surely be one of the stars this week.

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