Call Star Sports On 08000 521 321 EBF Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 4m 30.62s

Gentle Connections⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

4/1

Shaped with promise both starts in novice hurdles, fifth of 8 in novice hurdle at Warwick (21f, heavy) 53 days ago, not knocked about. Down in trip.

Form: 35

Lively Livvy¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Walford

80/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 100/1, much better effort over hurdles when fourth of 7 in novice at Wetherby (16f, good to soft) 17 days ago.

Form: 6704

Marsh Wren⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

2/1

Made perfect start when landing 10-runner bumper at Southwell in March and left hurdles debut well behind when second of 13 at Fontwell 77 days ago. May do better still.

Form: 1-62

Shesupincourt²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R Potter

125/1

Hinted at promise when fifth of 16 in bumper at Ffos Las on debut last autumn but failed to build on that next 2 starts, including when well held on hurdles bow.

Form: 56P

Ile De Jersey¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 120

5/6

Fairly useful form over hurdles in France, running out a 15-length winner at Vittel (18.9f) in the summer. Defied a penalty when landing the odds at Ludlow on yard debut 2 weeks ago and hard to beat.

Form: 211

Non-Runners

Rio Silva¹⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: O Murphy J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Ile De Jersey (5/6), Marsh Wren (2/1), Gentle Connections (4/1), Rio Silva (33/1), Lively Livvy (80/1), Shesupincourt (125/1)

French-recruit ILE DE JERSEY looked a good prospect when defying a penalty on her British debut at Ludlow and this looks another excellent opportunity. Bumper-winner Marsh Wren left her hurdles debut well behind when runner-up at Fontwell and can follow the selection home.