March 21 / 13.15 Newbury

13.15

Good To Soft

Castle Windows Newbury Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £9258.2
  • 2m 0f 69y
  • Class 3
  • 8 runners
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Castle Windows Newbury Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.00
  • Place: £1.10

Form: -15222

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Has built up a solid record when racing at about 2m under rules, as form figures of 222 this year help to demonstrate; ran well in the Dovecote at Kempton (good to soft) most recently; leading player back down in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

25th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 216y

Class 2

13:45 Sandown

Kocktail Bleu

11st 10lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Chris Gordon

Proving consistent and, following a good effort in a Grade 2, he made all at Newbury (2m, good to soft) back down in class last time; far from sure to get an easy lead in this bigger field, however.

10/1

1st

1

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

13:15 Newbury

Kocktail Bleu

11st 6lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Has built up a solid record when racing at about 2m under rules, as form figures of 222 this year help to demonstrate; ran well in the Dovecote at Kempton (good to soft) most recently; leading player back down in class.

5/4

2nd

6

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Kempton

Kocktail Bleu

11st 5lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Beaten favourite at Kelso (2m, heavy) last Friday but he'd previously run well when second over C&D (good); should be thereabouts but others appeal more for the win.

12/1

3/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Ex-Irish unexposed sort whose Flat form comprises a success and two placed efforts, latest on debut for new stable in the AW novice event won by Constitution Hill; brings potential to this code and looks interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

29th Aug 2026

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 4

14:40 Cartmel

Gambino

11st 9lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Useful Flat racer who was placed in good-quality Newbury novice (2m, good to soft) on hurdle debut in March, having travelled well for a long way; kept on far too strongly for Willie Mullins-trained rival when winning over C&D (good) last month; the one to beat.

4/7

1st

2

20th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 1f 46y

Class 4

13:42 Cartmel

Gambino

11st 4lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Lightly raced 5yo who has shown some useful form on the Flat and was placed in a good-quality Newbury novice (2m, good to soft) on hurdle debut in March, having travelled strongly for a long way; had wind op in May; needs to be taken very seriously.

11/10

Form: 51 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 3lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Flat scorer who has raced twice over hurdles, looking value for a bit more than the neck winning margin in juvenile event over C&D (good to soft) latest having idled in front; interesting contender at the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

13:15 Newbury

Cecilia Star

10st 3lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Lucy Wadham

Flat scorer who has raced twice over hurdles, looking value for a bit more than the neck winning margin in juvenile event over C&D (good to soft) latest having idled in front; interesting contender at the weights.

11/2

1st

9

27th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

14:30 Newbury

Cecilia Star

10st 7lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Lucy Wadham

Lightly raced for Michael Bell but won a 1m2f AW maiden and was close up in a Goodwood handicap; that Flat form is the best on show here and it was an encouraging start over hurdles when not beaten far in a maiden for mares at Kempton (staying on; good to soft); considered.

13/2

5th

16

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

12:52 Kempton

Cecilia Star

10st 6lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Lucy Wadham

Promising on Flat for Michael Bell (best RPR 84), AW winner at 1m2f; beaten a long way out over 1m6f (good to soft) in October and limited evidence suggests good ground suits best; hurdle debut for new yard.

50/1

Form: 7/P

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Showed promise in the point-to-point sphere in 2023 but two rules efforts (in 2024 and 2026) leave a lot to be desired.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

16th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 145y

Class 4

14:10 Bangor-on-Dee

Noble Don

11st 4lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: D J Jeffreys

Well beaten at triple-digit odds in first two hurdle races (2m5f/2m); can't be recommended.

100/1

Form: 58508

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Holds weak claims on bumper and hurdles form; should find handicaps more suitable shortly.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

21st Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

19:12 Ffos Las

King Berry

10st 12lb

J: David Bass

T: Max Comley

Modest form in bumpers (for Ed De Giles) and well held in three 2m maiden hurdles this year, beating one at Newbury last month; tongue tied for his handicap debut with much better required.

11/1

7th

5

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

13:15 Newbury

King Berry

11st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Max Comley

Holds weak claims on bumper and hurdles form; should find handicaps more suitable shortly.

100/1

8th

6

9th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

14:40 Taunton

King Berry

11st 6lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Max Comley

Showed a little promise in bumpers for Ed de Giles; well beaten at Wincanton (1m7f, good to soft; 50-1) on hurdles debut; more needed.

25/1

Form: 1/P

Last run: 95 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Twice-raced 6yo who was possibly unsuited by soft going switched to hurdles three months ago; had wind surgery since; may yet confirm the promise of his good-ground bumper success in 2023.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

15th Jul 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

14:48 Uttoxeter

Giddyupadingdong

11st 1lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Neil Mulholland

2023 bumper winner but absent a long time before pulling up on hurdle debut in December; showed little in his next three runs after another break until a more encouraging 15l third of 12 at Stratford (2m, good to firm) last month on his second handicap start; still needs better.

6/1

3rd

4

16th Jun 2026

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

14:40 Stratford

Giddyupadingdong

11st 7lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Neil Mulholland

Lightly raced since winning bumper debut for another stable in 2023 and made low-key handicap debut when last of five finishers at Fontwell (2m1f, good; first-time tongue-tie) last month; may yet do better, though, and is well worth a glance in the betting.

10/1

5th

5

24th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

14:35 Fontwell

Giddyupadingdong

11st 4lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Neil Mulholland

Absent for nearly 800 days after winning bumper debut for another stable in 2023 and did not show much in three maiden/novice hurdles (1m7f-2m) for Neil Mulholland last season; has tongue-tie fitted for this handicap debut, though, and remains unexposed; watch the betting.

10/1

Form: 1432 D BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 00

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.50
Straight Forecast £4.32
Trifecta £10.40

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Kocktail Bleu

SPOTLIGHT:

Lisbane Park

Telegraph:

Gambino

The Times:

Cecilia Star

Daily Record:

Lisbane Park

The Star:

Gambino

TOPSPEED:

Kocktail Bleu

POSTDATA:

Kocktail Bleu

The Guardian:

Kocktail Bleu

Daily Mail:

Kocktail Bleu

D Express:

Kocktail Bleu

Daily Mirror:

Kocktail Bleu

The Sun:

Kocktail Bleu