Queen set to top the charts in big Chase

DESERT QUEEN has to be followed in the 188Bet Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase at Huntingdon.

This race has been saved from an abandoned meeting at the Cambridgeshire circuit last month, and connections of the selection will be glad it has, as she was most impressive at Leicester in January, after which this event was immediately flagged up.

The nine-year-old had been due to visit Kayf Tara in the paddocks following that run, but such was the manner in which she did it that those plans appear to be temporarily on hold.

Conceding 10lb all round, Desert Queen grabbed matters by the scruff of the neck from the off and kept going all the way to the line to win by 10 lengths from Cresswell Breeze.

Trained by Harry Fry, who has a big date looming with Stayers’ Hurdle favourite Unowhatimeanharry at Cheltenham, she is pretty decent on her day and is generally ridden aggressively, with stamina not an issue at this two-and-a-half-mile trip.

Court Frontier could take the beating in the 188Bet Cambridgeshire National Handicap Chase.

The ex-Irish nine-year-old has come good recently to end a lengthy losing streak with a couple of wins, and in the process has looked like he might relish a race of this nature.

Any rain would not be a barrier to success for this former winning pointto-pointer, who can improve again for the marathon trip.

Zeroeshadesofgrey is probably never going to be the horse he threatened to be over fences but should be good enough in the Free Bet At 188Bet Novices’ Chase.

The most painful part for connections is he slammed subsequent Grade One winner and leading Cheltenham fancy Royal Vacation at Wetherby back in October.

He has been beaten three times since then, once when trying to give the winner lumps of weight back at Wetherby before finishing last of seven when reverting to hurdles at Cheltenham in January.

However, there was more promise behind RSA Chase possible Belami Des Pictons at Leicester, so all hope is not lost for his followers.

There is good money up grabs in the Collins Seafoods Young Chaser Series Final at Sedgefield, with Volvalien fancied to claim the lion’s share.

Brian Ellison’s charge has a likeable profile having been placed on nine of his 14 starts, including three victories.

Two of those triumphs have come at this track and a 4lb rise for his latest all-the-way success seems fair.

The step up in trip is a bit of an unknown, but if his stamina does last out he will be very hard to catch.

Identity Thief can get his season back on track in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

The Grade One-winning hurdler looked destined for the top of the novice chasing ranks after winning his first two starts over fences at Punchestown, but not much has gone right since. (64) M Bosley 7 11-4 ............ James Best (68) D Skelton 5 11-4 (BF) ................................. H Skelton (45) R Phillips 5 11-4 .............................. I Popham (22) M Banks 7 11-4 .................................... J Quinlan (18) Stuart Edmunds 6 11-4 ............ Joshua Moore (87) Andrew Martin 7 11-4 ............... Mr J Martin (7) (29) P Cowley 7 11-4 ............................... N Scholfield (7) D Shaw 5 11-4 ...................................... G Lavery (7) (109) Jonjo O’Neill 5 11-4 ........................... A Coleman (50) Mike Murphy 4 10-10 ........... D Crosse (75) N Twiston-Davies 4 10-10 .... Mr H F Nugent (7) D Cantillon 4 10-3 .................................... L Aspell BETTING: 4-6 Azzuri, 4 Land League, 8 Hint Of Grey, 14 Jodies Jem, Militarian, 16 Unblinking, Cosmic King, 33 Petrucci, 50 Others. FIFTY BOB (24) K Bailey 6 12-2 ....................... Mr H Morshead (7) GOOD MAN HUGHIE (33) G L Moore 8 12-1 ............. Jamie Moore BRAW ANGUS (51) K Bailey 7 11-12 ............................. T Bellamy SOUND THE BUGLE (22) A Day 7 11-12 .................... J Hodson (5) GET BACK TO ME (304) S Earle 10 11-9 ............................ D Jacob SILVER TICKET (56) Mrs L Mongan 6 11-9 ..................... T Cannon PEARLITA (53) H Daly 5 11-8 ........................................ J Greenall DOUBLE COURT (89) N Twiston-Davies 6 11-8 .......... J Bargary (3) FAR FROM DEFEAT (37) M Scudamore 7 11-4 ............ L Treadwell IT’S OSCAR (26)ARalph1011-1(D) ............................. TJO’Brien DARING KNIGHT (40) Martin Smith 4 11-0 ..................... L Aspell OUTRAGEOUS ROMANA (74) J G O’Shea 6 10-5 ............. D Crosse I KNOW THE CODE (12) Miss L Siddall 12 10-3 (D) ...... H Challoner PERFECT TIMING (12) Andrew Martin 7 10-1 ........... M Hamill (5) BETTING: 9-4 Fifty Bob, 7-2 Good Man Hughie, 5 Double Court, 12 Silver Ticket, Pearlita, 14 Daring Knight, Far From Defeat, Sound The Bugle, 16 Others. (5) N King 8 11-5 (D4) ............. T Whelan (26)KBailey810-12(C,D) ........... DBass (22) Mrs C Bailey 8 10-12 (D) ..................... H Skelton (8) Miss V Williams 8 10-12 .................. L Treadwell (629) C Fryer 7 10-12 (D) ...................... J Quinlan D P Dunne (IRE) 9 10-12 ................... R T Dunne (32) O Sherwood 7 10-12 (D) ...................... L Aspell (22)RichardHobson510-10 ............... LizzieKelly(3) (40) H Fry 9 11-10 (D) ............................. N Fehily (30) Mrs P Sly 6 11-0 (D) ................. Miss G Andrews (23) P Nicholls 7 11-0 (D)S Twiston-Davies (45) D P Dunne (IRE) 8 11-0 ...................... R T Dunne (40) J Snowden 8 11-0 (CD) ............................ N Scholfield (40) N Twiston-Davies 8 11-0 (D) ..... W Twiston-Davies N Mulholland 8 11-0 ........................ James Best BETTING: 15-8 Desert Queen, 4 Antartica De Thaix, 5 Pass The Time, 6 Colla Pier, Actinpieces, 8 Kilronan High, 33 Kassis. (68) N Mulholland 11 11-13 ........................... N Fehily (134) J Hughes 10 11-12 ................ Nico De Boinville (23) O Sherwood 7 11-6 ......... L Aspell (38)PaulMorgan911-1 ................ TJO’Brien (25) David Dennis 6 10-12 (C) .......................... A Coleman (23) G McPherson 11 10-9 ....... Kielan Woods (24) M W Easterby 11 10-8 (C) ................... H Bannister (3) (25) H Evans 8 10-6 ....................... L Treadwell (23) N Twiston-Davies 11 10-6 (BF, C) ....... J Bargary (3) BETTING: 3 Court Frontier, 9-2 Blameitalonmyroots, 6 Silver Man, 7 Wood Yer, Goulanes, 8 Lord Heathfield, Cyclop, 14 Ganbei, Optimistic Bias. (80) Jonjo O’Neill 6 11-12 (D) ............................ A Coleman (35) G L Moore 6 11-10 (D) ................... Jamie Moore (33) C Dore 8 11-10 (D3) ........ Robert Hawker (7) (9) M Sheppard 9 11-9 (D4) ..... Stan Sheppard (5) (339) A Jones 6 11-8 .................................... T J O’Brien (25) Noel Williams 5 11-5 ....... I Popham (33) J W Mullins 9 11-5 (CD) ......................... J McGrath (30) Mrs P Sly 4 11-5 (D) ..Kielan Woods (77) M Wigham 7 11-1 (D3) .................. J Quinlan (23) Miss T Watkins 8 11-0 (D) .............. B Poste (3) BETTING: 11-4 Walsingham Grange, 5 Trapper Peak, 11-2 Lithic, 6 Beau Bay, 8 Gin And Tonic, Ryeolliean, 10 Midnight Jitterbug, 12 Bobble Boru, 16 Others. (64) H Daly 6 11-4 ........................................ J Greenall (77) N Henderson 5 11-4 .................................. J McGrath D P Dunne (IRE) 6 11-4 .......... R T Dunne (89) Mrs L Jewell 6 11-4 .............. J Sherwood (3) (45)MissVWilliams611-4 ............ CDeutsch(3) (33) D Skelton 7 11-4 (BF) ............ H Skelton (29) David Loughnane 5 11-4 ............... J Bargary (3) (56) Mrs L Mongan 6 11-4 .......................... T Cannon (26) Jonjo O’Neill 5 11-4 .................. A Coleman Miss C Dyson 7 11-4 ................................ I Popham (14) A King 4 10-9 ............ W Hutchinson BETTING: 7-4 Listen To The Man, 5-2 Grand Turina, 5 Rosie Mcqueen, Comely, 10 Miss Yeats, 12 Want The Fairytale, 33 Dalmarella Dancer, 50 Alameda, 66 Others. I KNOW U TOO WELL (83) Jonjo O’Neill 5 11-9 (D) Mr J J O’Neill (7) 110 POTTERS HEDGER (38) Mrs L Wadham 5 11-2 ............ A Coleman 112 SECOND TIME AROUND (33) A King 5 11-2 ........... W Hutchinson 94 SWINGING CONCERTO N Twiston-Davies 5 11-2 ...... J Bargary (3) — BLAZON (85) K Bailey 4 11-1 (D) ...................... Mr H Morshead (7) 115 HAAFAPIECE (23) Mrs P Sly 4 11-1 (D) .............. Stan Sheppard (5) 121 BLACKBERRY WINE O Sherwood 4 10-8 ......................... L Aspell — BUCKBY BOY D Skelton 4 10-8 ..................................... H Skelton — HEAD HUNTER M Scudamore 4 10-8 ......................... L Treadwell — TOWN HEAD M W Easterby 4 10-8 ........................ H Bannister (3) — WICK GREEN C Longsdon 4 10-8 .................................. R Johnson — BURY THE EVIDENCE (33) D Shaw 4 10-1 ................. G Lavery (7) 68 MISS MALARKY Mrs D Grissell 4 10-1 ....................... M Goldstein — BETTING: 7-2 Haafapiece, 5 I Know U Too Well, 11-2 Blazon, 7 Buckby Boy, 8 Wick Green, Swinging Concerto, 12 Second Time Around, Potters Hedger, Blackberry Wine, 16 Others.

5-6fav Tracked leader, led 4 out, soon clear, easily, won at Sedgefield 2m 5f Novice Limited Handicap Chase (0-120) (5yo+) (4) sft in Feb beating Whitsundays by 38l, 3 ran. 2-1 Chased leaders, not fluent 6th or 7th, mistake 4 out, 2nd before 2 out, shaken up to lead when mistake and rider lost iron last, stayed on, won at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Feb beating Dance Floor King by 2l, 5 ran. 11-10fav Made all, hard driven 2 out, challenged last, kept on well under pressure, won at Sedgefield 2m nov ltd hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Jan beating Prairie Town by 3/4l, 5 ran. 2-1fav Led, drew clear after 3 out, headed just after last, kept on same pace closing stages, 2nd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Dr Robin at Sedgefield 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Feb. 9-1 Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd from 6 out until briefly lost 2nd place before 4 out, hit 4 out, no extra from last, 3rd of 11, 7l behind Beggars Cross at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Feb. (10) S Waugh 9 12-1 (CD3) ...... Miss A Waugh (7) (32) S A Harris 7 11-4 .......................... A Blakemore (10) (29) Mrs D Sayer 12 11-0 (CD2) ........... Miss E Sayer (3) (41) N C Kelly (IRE) 7 10-10 ................... Derek Fox (18) J O’Keeffe 7 10-6 (CD) .................... B Harding (35) J Haynes 10 10-4 (D) ......................... D Irving (5) (5) P Kirby 5 10-0 .......................... T Dowson (5) BETTING: 7-4 Dark And Dangerous, 5-2 Aza Run, 4 Toola Boola, 8 Endeavor, 12 Mrs Grass, 16 Mash Potato, 20 Hugh’s Secret.