'She did what we expected' - Queens Gamble could head straight to Cheltenham after Listed success

Harry Derham has floated the possibility of heading straight to the Cheltenham Festival with Queens Gamble but said a decision on her next target will be made collectively with her owners Alex Frost and Ed Galvin.

The five-year-old took her record to three from three over hurdles after landing the Listed mares’ novice from the progressive Casa No Mento.

Queens Gamble was shortened to 10-1 (from 16) for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle in March and Derham is keen on her chances.

He said: "I was very happy with her performance. I’d hate to say exactly what’s next without speaking to Alex and Ed, but I’d imagine she’ll go straight to Cheltenham. 

“She’s a dual winner round the track in bumpers and I don’t think she needs to run again, but I’ll speak to her owners to confirm that."

Derham added: "She did what we expected and hoped she would. It was a really solid race. Sam, Nigel and Willy [Twiston-Davies] have a nice horse and the right two came to the fore."

The Lambourn trainer has a 36 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight with five winners from 14 runners and secured the first leg of a double when Hard Frost landed the 2m7f novice handicap chase.

Derham said: "Hard Frost has had a lot of seconds, so I thought he owed us a win. I was very happy with his performance and Paul [O'Brien, jockey] gave him a marvellous ride.

"The horses are running extremely well and it’s all down to the team as everyone is working really hard. I’m very lucky to have a lot of good people behind me."

Swift treble

Paul Nicholls, on the mark with Captain Teague in the day's feature Challow Hurdle at Newbury, also completed a treble on the card after Individualiste won the concluding 2m3f conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle under Freddie Gingell.

Swift Hawk won the opening 2m½f juvenile hurdle for the trainer and Centara took the 2m3f novice hurdle, both ridden by Lorcan Williams.

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