Queens Brook one of six declared for Quevega Hurdle

Queens Brook will face five rivals in the featured Watch On Racing TV Quevega Mares Hurdle which will now be the opening race should the track at Punchestown pass a 7.30am inspection on Wednesday morning.

The Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old was third to Ferny Hollow in the 2020 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and has won two of her five starts over hurdles. She was last seen in early November when beating subsequent three-time chase winner Ciel De Neige at Fairyhouse and is 12/1 with most firms for the mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

“Queens Brook will come on for the run,” said Elliott.

“We missed a bit of time with her and we’re running out of time to get her fit for Cheltenham. She’ll run and we’ll see how she gets on.”

Willie Mullins runs three in the Grade 3 contest named after his six-time Cheltenham mares’ hurdle winner and Gauloise, Dysart Diamond and Burning Victory are all rated a fair bit higher than the Davy Russell-partnered Queens Brook.

The latter's stablemate Say Goodbye, a staying-on second to the well-treated Party Central in a handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, was entered for Wednesday’s race but doesn’t line up and her trainer says she is likely to head straight for the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham for which she is a general 25/1 chance.

Regarding running plans for later in the week, Elliott added: “I’ll probably run Hiaou (who beat subsequent winner Goven in a Punchestown maiden last month) in the Michael Purcell at Thurles on Thursday. He will be stepping up in trip but it should suit him.

“Jaycean (a winner on debut at Navan in January) also has an entry in that race but we may wait a week or two with him.”

AM & MN