Mares' Hurdle runner-up Queens Brook out to book her festival ticket in style

Thursday: 1.10 Leopardstown
BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle (Grade 3) | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTE2/RTV

This looks to be a match, plain and simple. Queens Brook v Shewearsitwell.

If you use official ratings as your guide then you will be backing Shewearsitwell. She has a mark of 143, 1lb lower than Queens Brook, but is in receipt of 3lb so theoretically it should be yet another winner for Willie Mullins.

That said, Queens Brook has the best form. She was runner-up to Marie's Rock in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and a repeat of that might be good enough here. She is a classy mare on her day and Gordon Elliott made no secret of the fact she had an interrupted prep going to Cheltenham in March.

That race is once again her ultimate aim this season and she is no bigger than 10-1 to go one place better this year.

Elliott was even toying with the idea of running her against the boys in a Grade 1 contest over Christmas. She was entered in the Long Walk at Ascot and the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle on Wednesday but the trainer has opted to stick to her own sex and that could prove a very shrewd move.

Mullins has won this race for five of the last six years. His winning sequence came to an end last year when Shewearsitwell, sent off 9-4 favourite, came down at the fourth.

She will try to erase that memory here and arrives on the back of a last-gasp success in a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown last month. She boasts obvious claims.

Stablemate Braganza was pulled-up in a Grade 1 race at Fairyhouse when last seen in April and is only rated 126, so she has a mountain to climb according to the figures.

Copper Nation, Dollys Destination and My Design also look out of their depth against mares of the calibre of Queens Brook and Shewearsitwell.

This looks a two-horse race and Queens Brook is strongly fancied to win the match.

Townend: 'She seems back to herself and will come here with confidence'

Shewearsitwell needed every yard of the three-mile trip when getting up late to win last time out under a masterful Paul Townend ride but he thinks she will have no problem coping with this shorter distance.

She started favourite for this race last year but was an early faller. Since then she has won at Killarney and Punchestown and Townend is hopeful for a big run from the mare who looked supremely talented in bumpers.

Shewearsitwell: bids to give Willie Mullins another success in the Leopardstown Grade 3 contestCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Townend said: "She was a lucky enough winner of the Pertemps qualifier and it was lucky the line wasn't about five yards down the track! She drops back to two-and-a-half miles, and I don't think that will be a concern for her. Also, winning the last day will give her a lot of confidence."

Writing in his Ladbrokes blog, he added: "On ratings it brings her right up with Queens Brook. In theory we should have 3lb up our sleeve, but Queens Brook was very impressive at Punchestown the last day beating Heaven Help Us. She sets the standard here. Our one seems to be back to herself and will come here with confidence."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Queens Brook
We had the option of running her over three miles in the Christmas Hurdle but we've decided to keep her to mares-only company here instead. It was good to see her get back on track at Punchestown last time over a trip that was probably shorter than ideal. She's got to give weight away here but we're hoping she'll put her best foot forward again.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Braganza and Shewearsitwell
She looks slightly best in here on these terms and I think both trip and ground will suit her. She has a real live chance. The conditions of the race really don't suit Braganza but I need to get her out on the track and running. She takes her chance here but we'll find more suitable races later in the season.

Read Thursday's previews:

1.45 Leopardstown: National Hunt Chase favourite Gaillard Du Mesnil the one to beat in Grade 1 test

2.20 Leopardstown: State Man v Sharjah v Vauban - who comes out on top in a magic Matheson?

2.40 Doncaster: can Gesskille make amends after twice finishing second over the National fences?

3.10 Doncaster: 'This is her season's target' - who's in hot pursuit of the £75,000 Silver Vase?

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