13:52 Newbury

Thursday 5 November 2026

All12:4213:1713:5214:2514:5815:3316:05

Grahame Church Memorial Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:52 | Winning time: 4m 5.08s

The Flaggy Shore¹⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: David Noonan| T: Ben Clarke| D

11/1

Easily won sole start in Irish points and showed useful winning form in bumpers last winter. Made all with ease on 2m Ffos Las hurdle debut (good to soft) in May. Open to improvement on return but it may not be easy to give weight away to some of these rivals.

Form: 1/126-1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Connells Cross^t²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

11/1

Won a pair of Sedgefield bumpers for Jennie Candlish at the start of 2026. Shaped encouragingly when third of 7 on Chepstow hurdle debut for new stable with a tongue tie added (retained) 25 days ago but Princess Day was ahead in second.

Form: 211-3

Gaelic Heather²⁰⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Andrews| T: T Ellis| BF

250/1

£50,000 purchase after finishing runner-up in an Irish point. Only fourth of 7 on Hexham bumper debut in April but the fact she went off at 11/8 suggests better was anticipated.

Form: 2/4-

La Trinite¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King

300/1

Flat winner but only at a modest level and achieved little when a well-held third on her hurdle debut last month. Outsider.

Form: 3

Martini Majesty²¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| D

50/1

Planteur filly who made a successful debut in 9-runner bumper at Ascot in February. Well held behind Nan's Choice in Grade 2 subsequently but retains potential now hurdling.

Form: 10-

Nan's Choice²¹⁰

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

7/4

Bumper winner in Ireland who made a successful start for Dan Skelton in Grade 2 at Aintree in April. Top hurdle prospect.

Form: 411-

Princess Day²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott| BF| CD

13/8

€170,000 purchase after landing an Irish point last spring and looked a good prospect when winning 2 bumpers last winter, including here. Turned over at short odds on Chepstow hurdle debut/reappearance but should be capable of better.

Form: 1/110-2

Rosie's Honour²¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: P Hobbs & J White

50/1

18/1, finished best when close third of 10 on Stratford bumper debut (2m, good to soft) in April. That suggests she should have a future over jumps.

Form: 3-

Royal Response²²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

3/1

Comfortably off mark on second start in points (Mar 29). Has joined a leading stable for her hurdle career. Interesting to see how strong the betting vibes are.

Form: 21-

Snow Is In The Sky³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R P McLernon| T: G Brown

300/1

Has shown nothing under Rules since winning a small-field point. Big outsider.

Form: P179-PP

Result Amended

Connells Cross - Original Position 4th. Amended Position 3rd.

Princess Day - Original Position 3rd. Amended Position 4th.

Forecasts

Princess Day (13/8), Nan's Choice (7/4), Royal Response (3/1), The Flaggy Shore (11/1), Connells Cross (11/1), Rosie's Honour (50/1), Martini Majesty (50/1), Gaelic Heather (250/1), La Trinite (300/1), Snow Is In The Sky (300/1)

NAN'S CHOICE's Grade 2 bumper success at Aintree on her first outing for Dan Skelton marks her down as one who could go a long way over hurdles. Princess Day and Connells Cross shaped with promise in the same Chepstow novice on hurdle debut last month and are likely to go well. Nicky Henderson point recruit Royal Response is one to monitor closely in the betting.