'She's put on 75kg, I hope that's not too much' - Queens Gamble connections 'really excited' for novice hurdle campaign

Johnny Burke is set to keep the ride on promising mare Queens Gamble when she makes her debut for new trainer Harry Derham at Newbury next month.

A homebred owned by Alex Frost and Ed Galvin, Queens Gamble bolted up in a bumper at Cheltenham in April last year, and also won a Listed bumper at the track in November.

The five-year-old finished second at Market Rasen in February before failing to fire in the Champion Bumper, and was last seen winning on her hurdling debut at Warwick in May when partnered by Brian Hughes.

She was trained for those races by Oliver Sherwood, who retired over the summer. He now works for Derham, whom Queens Gamble, ridden in four of her five starts by Burke, has moved to.

Harry Derham: new trainer of Queens Gamble following Oliver Sherwood's retirementCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Frost, who is chief executive of the Tote, said: "It's an exciting time of the year and she has done very well over the summer. She is much stronger as she's put on 75kg – I hope that's not too much!

"She's schooling very well and everyone is really excited. The plan was to give her that run at Warwick before the summer, and now we'll look at a mares' novice hurdle at Newbury's first jumps meeting of the season on November 9. There's also a Listed race back at Newbury in December.

"Johnny Burke is going to ride as we'll keep things how they were. It's been a great plan so far and has worked out well."

Queens Gamble is 16-1 with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with bet365 offering 25-1.

Frost added: "The bottomless ground in the Champion Bumper was her undoing, so we'll keep her to a sound surface."

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