Rose Dobbin pays tribute to team at home as flying start continues with treble

Trainer Rose Dobbin labelled it a "red-letter day" as a quickfire treble continued her sparkling early season form which has seen her saddle 11 winners from just 31 runners.

The day got off to the perfect start in the 2m4½f mares’ maiden hurdle with £140,000 purchase The Player Queen, winner of a Cheltenham bumper in April for Mel Rowley, justifying 8-13 favouritism to score by seven lengths under Craig Nichol.

Dobbin said: "We bought her in May, she's a lovely mare and very straightforward. The pressure is on when she's odds-on but she did it in great style."

35 minutes later the same combination struck again in the 2m novice hurdle with Gentleman De Mai.

"I prepared my dad [owner, Duncan Davidson] if he didn’t win, saying he's probably going to want it further and softer," said Dobbin. "He's a big stamp of a horse, looks like a chaser and is a nice one for the future."

The memorable day was completed when the Conor O'Farrell-ridden Permission Granted took the 3m½f handicap hurdle.

Dobbin, who is operating at a career-best strike-rate of 35 per cent for the season, was keen to praise the efforts of everyone back at her Hazelrigg stables, adding: "I want to give a mention to the team at home.

"They’re doing a good job and a big thank you to them. If we can keep going this way we’ll have our best season numerically.”

Donald at the double

Trainer Donald McCain won both divisions of the 2m3½f novice handicap hurdle, first with Killane under conditional jockey Peter Kavanagh, with Brian Hughes doing the honours aboard Steinkraus.

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