'She's a smashing mare' - The Glancing Queen lands Listed prize on chase debut

Wednesday: Bangor

Trainer Alan King was “delighted and relieved” as The Glancing Queen made a successful debut over fences in the 2m1½f Listed mares' novice chase under Tom Cannon.

The talented seven-year-old won the Grade 2 mares' bumper at Aintree in 2019 and finished third in the Challow Hurdle last season, but her trainer has always earmarked her as a potential star chaser.

“It's a lovely race to win, I'm delighted and relieved,” said Alan King. “She's a smashing mare but you want it to go right on her chase debut and fortunately it did. She won a point-to-point before we bought her so she was always going to be a chaser.

“I can't take too much credit, she's just a pleasure to train. I'm very lucky to have her.”

Paddy Power reacted to The Glancing Queen's win by trimming her to 20-1 (from 33) for the Grade 2 Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Last season she fared best of the British runners when fifth in the Mares' Novice Hurdle.

On a potential return to Cheltenham in March, King added: “That's a long way off, I'm not thinking about that at the moment. I'd like to stay down the mares’ route, but we'll just keep creeping away and taking small steps.”

Double bubble

Snow Leopardess initiated a double for jockey Aidan Coleman when putting in a bold jumping display to land the 3m handicap chase for trainer Charlie Longsdon.

Coleman later struck on the Olly Murphy-trained veteran Hunters Call, who was a nine-length winner of the 2m3½f handicap hurdle.

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