La Conquiere impresses at Newbury

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Mon January 19, 2026 · 3h ago

Jamie Snowden believes La Conquiere can put her recent experience against seasoned campaigners to good use in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old will revert to taking on novices on her next start in the Grade Two test after finishing a close up second at the same level in open company in the BetMGM Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

And although Snowden was disappointed to see La Conquiere's unbeaten run over hurdles come to an end, he is confident she can use that outing to her advantage in the two mile one furlong test on March 12.

He said: “It is always gutting to be beaten, but I don’t think we have lost anything in defeat. Pitching a novice horse into open company on just her third ever start over hurdles was brave and it probably just counted against us inside the final one hundred yards.

“I think we took on a battle-hardened warrior that just out battled us with experience, and she was carrying two pounds less than us. It was a great effort and she jumped great, and travelled great. There are fine margins between success and failure, but she will improve for that, and improve for the experience in that kind of race.

“I think Gavin (Sheehan) will be full of confidence going into the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. We thought her run at Ascot would bring her on mentally and hopefully the experience won’t be lost on her."

Scottish raid for Wendigo

While La Conquiere will head straight to the Festival the Lambourn handler is considering sending leading Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase contender Wendigo up to Ayr on his next start.

The seven-year-old, who is as short as 12/1 for the Grade One prize at the Festival, is under consideration for a trip across the Scottish border for the Ayrshire ‘Chasing Excellence’ Novices’ Chase on Thursday week.

After finishing second on his debut over fences at Worcester, the Great Pretender gelding has since secured Grade Two Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury before filling third in the Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park.

Snowden said: “He is in great order at home. The Scilly Isles is right-handed as is the Pendil so we might look at going up to Ayr for a three mile novice chase with him and give him a spin around there.

“It is a long time from Kempton Park in December to Cheltenham in March and as he is in good form we might think about Ayr.

"As far as the English three-mile novice chasers are concerned he is bang up there with the best, if not the best, so he deserves to take his chance in the Brown Advisory.”

And Snowden also has Festival aspirations for Laurens Bay, who finished third in the LSL Racing Auctions Hampton Novices’ Chase at Windsor on Sunday.

And following his effort in the Grade Two, which was salvaged from the card that fell victim to the weather at Warwick, the Youmzain gelding will now be aimed at the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Snowden said: “The plan for Laurens Bay is to go for the National Hunt Chase. He needed the third run at Windsor to qualify for that so that will now be his plan.

“Hopefully, off his handicap mark, which at the moment is one hundred and thirty five, he will have a chance in a race like that.

“He won a match race at Uttoxeter and has finished third in two Grade Two races so hopefully back into handicap company over that three mile six furlong trip should see him in a good light.”

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