King’s Queen worth more than glance

THE GLANCING QUEEN should be able to m a ke a winning debut over obstacles in the Try Racing TV For Free Now Mares’ Nov ices ’ Hurd le at Warwick.

Always held in the highest regard by Alan King, she has actually run in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival for the past two seasons.

In 2019, she was beaten only seven lengths by the all-conquering Envoi Allen, before going on to win a Grade Two mares’ event at Aintree.

A setback in the early stages of last season prevented her from going hurdling, so King let her have another crack at the Cheltenham event where she again ran with credit, although she was beaten further by Ferny Hollow back in March.

Since then King has given her a couple of spins on the Flat over a mile and a half which, while not totally devoid of promise, did enough only to give her a rating of 60 on the all-weather.

King may take advantage of that mark one day, but for now her attentions have been switched to hurdling and while she will need to be on her game to beat a couple of useful mares, she has already shown she is the best of these on ability alone.

PHOENIX WAY has the scope to be a more than useful novice chaser this season for Harry Fry.

He was among the favourites for the Pertemps Final in the ante-post lists before he was ruled out by a minor setback.

Owned by JP McManus, he benefited from a very cute Barry Geraghty ride at Huntingdon in January, when he appeared value for much more than the winning distance of a neck.

The handicapper put him up 7lb, which could easily have been lenient, although we never got to find out.

Now sent over fences in the Highflyer Bloodstock Novices’ Chase, he faces Quick Grabim, who split Fusil Raffles and Gumball at Uttoxeter, so is clearly no back number. But Phoenix Way could be pretty smart and he is taken to come out on top, even though the two-mile trip is short of his best.

SELECTIONS FFOS LAS:

12.30 Just No Risk, 1.05 Little Red Lion, 1.40 Mr Grey Sky, 2.15 Bean In Trouble, 2.50 Sirop De Menthe, 3.25 Jurys Out, 4.00 Swincombe Fleat.

HEXHAM: 12.45 Hart Of Steel, 1.20 Snougar, 1.55 Lanty Slea, 2.30 Ballymagroarty Boy, 3.05 Perfect Man, 3.40 Cold Shoulder. WARWICK: 12.20 Guy De Guye, 12.55 Penny Mallow, 1.30 THE GLANCING QUEEN (NAP), 2.05 Phoenix Way, 2.40 Flat To The Max, 3.15 Gold Present, 3.50 Authorized Pursuit.

DOUBLE: The Glancing Queen and Phoenix Way.