Yeats Mare Extends Unbeaten Record On Hurdle Debut

The Player Queen (5m Yeats - Seductive Dance, by Groom Dancer) extended her unbeaten record to three when making an impressive start to her hurdling career at Ayr on Monday.

Unseen since April and making her first start for the Rose Dobbin stable, she was sent off favourite and raced prominently throughout the two and a half mile contest under Craig Nichol. Asserting at the third last, she was travelling the best at the final flight and was pushed out to win by seven lengths from a strung out field.

The Player Queen is owned by Mr and Mrs Duncan Davidson since being purchased by Dobbin and Gerry Hogan for £140,000. It marked an impressive profit for Melanie and Philip Rowley, for whom the daughter of Yeats won a point-to-point and Class 2 mares bumper at Cheltenham. The exciting mare was bred by John Dwan and John Brennan.