Briery Queen on course for Cheltenham Festival date

Noel Williams believes Briery Queen has done enough to warrant an entry in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.The Blewbury handler plans to give the eight-year-old a short break before the Grade One contest, for which she is a general 25-1 shot, on March 14.After landing a handicap at Cheltenham on her return to action, the daughter of King's Theatre backed it up with a respectable third when giving weight to most of her rivals in a Listed event at Sandown earlier this month.Williams said: "Briery Queen is A1. I was delighted with her run at Sandown. She ran a great race giving 4lb away to most of her rivals and was only beaten just over three lengths."I've entered her in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and she will go there, all being well."The jury is out on the ground with her. I've always thought she has a bit of a knee action and wants cut in the ground, whereas most of the jockeys that have ridden her say she is better on quicker ground."She has proven before that she goes well fresh as she has won first time out for the past two seasons, so she will now head straight there."