CHARLIE Longsdon is hopeful Snow Leopardess could be ready for bigger things after an impressive victory at Newbury on Saturday.

The grey, ridden by Aidan Coleman, was an eye-catching winner of the EBF & TBA Mares National Hunt Novices Hurdle Finale.

The five-year-old, who had won a valuable bumper at Gowran in September for the Chipping Norton trainer, bounded clear of fellow 7-1 joint-favourite Copper Kay to win the £22,000 first prize by four lengths.

A delighted Longsdon, who is now eyeing a Grade One mares’ contest at Fairyhouse, said: “She’s always been good, but I got it totally wrong last time.

“She was only half-fit and it was totally my fault, I made a mistake there.

“She’d done plenty of work since and she’s won as I hoped she would today. She doesn’t show a lot at home, she’s very laid-back.

“She keeps herself for the racecourse and has a lovely way of going. It’s onwards and upwards.”

Coleman added: “I got a lovely run round, she travelled brilliantly.

“She has a lot of courage and did it well.

“She’s a really nice filly and to be fair to Charlie, if you look at her form she has been campaigned brilliantly.

“She won a good bumper at Gowran, she ran well in the mares’ race last year at Aintree and now she’s won this, it’s great.”