O'Brien shocked as Dysart Enos downs Champion Bumper hope Queens Gamble

Fergal O'Brien admitted to being surprised when his mare Dysart Enos sailed past Britain's leading Champion Bumper hope Queens Gamble in the Listed mares’ event named after former trainer Alan Swinbank.

The trainer had already tried and failed to beat Queens Gamble with another of his mares earlier in the season and was expecting Dysart Enos to be placed at best, but the five-year-old showed a smart turn of foot to catch the odds-on favourite and win by a length under Paddy Brennan.

"I thought we had a good line through Queens Gamble with Bonttay, who I own half of and who I thought was very good, but Queens Gamble annihilated her at Cheltenham in November," O'Brien said.

"I'm surprised. I didn't think Dysart Enos was as good but she could well be – I was so impressed with her turn of speed down the home straight. I don't think Paddy picked up his stick at all and she just kept trying for him."

Bookmakers reacted by introducing her into the Champion Bumper market at 10-1 but she will bypass the Cheltenham Festival in favour of Aintree, with O'Brien unsure whether she would confirm the form at a more testing track.

"I love Oliver Sherwood's mare and you'll see the best of her at Cheltenham because we just did her for speed today," he added.

"I wouldn't fancy us to beat her again at Cheltenham and she was carrying a 4lb penalty today. Dysart Enos has had a stop-start season so we'll give her a break and go to Aintree, then next year I'd love to start her off in the Listed hurdle Luccia won at Newbury."

The trainer completed an across-the-card double at Taunton when 20-1 shot Blue Bikini struck on her first start since May.

Queens Gamble's trainer Oliver Sherwood was not too disheartened by her gallant effort and still has Cheltenham in mind, despite bookmakers pushing her out to a best-priced 20-1.

"We lost the battle but we haven't lost the war," he said. "It's always frustrating when you get beat but I'm not deflated. She's run a big race giving 4lb away and we're still going to have a crack at Cheltenham – we've got nothing to lose and you don't become a bad horse overnight.

"It was a bit of a messy race and Paddy rode a canny race, but take nothing away from them, this was probably their Gold Cup."

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