Doyle & Palmer Wealth Management Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

4YO plus | Class 4 | 2m 3f 29y | 6 Runners | Turf

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling

€42,000 3-y-o, £32,000 5-y-o, Saint Des Saints mare. Sister to fairly useful hurdler Kilbarry Saint, stays 2¾m. Placed on last of 3 starts in Irish points in April and highly respected on Rules debut for in-form yard.

Izakaya⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: C Poulton

20/1

Arrives on the back of a pair of Flat wins (around 2m) at Bath and Newbury in the autumn but that form isn't anything to be carried away with. Stamina is at least assured now hurdling.

Form: 95-

Pollyanna's Dream²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: N P Mulholland

9/2

€52,000 My Dream Boat filly. Dam (c134/h132), 2m-3m hurdle/chase winner, half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 3¼m) Lord Ballim. Displayed ability all 3 starts in bumpers spread out over 13 months, likely she needed it at Cheltenham on recent return. Hurdles debut.

Form: 23-7

Queen's Theatre²¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A J Honeyball

6/1

Stamina in pedigree and shaped like a stayer when third in 2m Stratford bumper in October 2024. Off 6 months and aided by increased emphasis on stamina when justifying support at Plumpton. Bare form isn't flash but one to consider now hurdling.

Form: 3-1

Shotgun Shirley^h²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: L Wadham

1/1

Half-sister to a couple of useful jumpers and made third bumper start a winning one fitted with a hood at Uttoxeter in October. Excellent second in a listed race at Cheltenham so has to be taken very seriously now tackling obstacles.

Form: 24-12

Shutfrontdoor¹⁷¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Caoilin Quinn| T: G & J Moore| C

7/2

Made a winning start to her career in a course bumper in May. Falsely-run race looked against her at Market Rasen but she still finished second and now goes hurdling.

Form: 12

Forecasts

Shotgun Shirley (6/4), Pollyanna's Dream (3/1), Shutfrontdoor (11/2), Ballynorth (6/1), Queen's Theatre (6/1), Izakaya (25/1)

SHOTGUN SHIRLEY is bred to do well over obstacles and having a won a bumper, she ran a belter when second in listed company at Cheltenham last month. That is a very good platform ahead of this hurdles debut so she's awarded the vote. Pollyanna's Dream finished behind the selection that day but is expected to come on for that, with Ballynorth also of interest on Rules debut.