Massive entry for first two days of British action next week

The resumption of racing cannot come quick enough for British trainers after a total of 1,088 entries were made for the first two days of action.

The nine-race card on the all-weather at Kempton on Tuesday has attracted a staggering 454 entries, even more than the 369 made for the opening day at Newcastle on Monday and includes the first juvenile contest (2.45) since racing was suspended.

Of the entries at Kempton, 328 were made for the five maiden races at the meeting, including 97 for a three-year-old contest over a mile, and the rest were spread across four handicaps over varying distances.

John Gosden was the leading trainer on the all-weather at Kempton last year with 19 winners from 77 runners and has made 13 entries.

Toon torrent

A further 265 entries were made for a second eight-race card at Newcastle on Tuesday, which could be extended to ten races with divisions.

A very interesting entry in the Shepperton Maiden Stakes (4.15) at Kempton, over just shy of a mile and a half, is The Glancing Queen from the Alan King stable.

The Glancing Queen was a very talented bumper performer over the last two jumps seasons and finished eighth to the Willie Mullins-trained Ferny Hollow in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

King does particularly well with his small string on the Flat and punters are sure to be keen on The Glancing Queen given she has a fitness edge on her rivals following her Cheltenham exertions.

The two behind-closed-doors meetings will be the second and third to take place in Britain since March 17, after which the sport was closed down due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

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