Oddschecker Free Bets Novices' Hurdle (Novices' Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB) (Div II)

Warwick

14:40

Date 2026-03-08

Distance 2m

Class Class 4

Going Good To Soft

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £5,446

Weather Fog

Temp 7.8°C

Wind 3mph E

Rain 4%

Winning Time 3m 53.98s (slow by 7.98s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Cosmic Connection (IRE) Freddie Gordon · Chris Gordon	12/1	Won
2nd	Road To Wembley (GB) Sean Bowen · Olly Murphy	15/2	1.25
3rd	Ionian (IRE) Nico de Boinville · Nicky Henderson	4/1	1.25
4th	Leo Wood (FR) Ciaran Gethings · Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	18/1	.75
5th	King Al (GB) Tom Bellamy · Alan King	5/2	10
6th	Wondering Why (IRE) Ben Jones · Ben Pauling	5/4F	3.25
7th	Babychino (IRE) James Turner · Alexander Gibbons	300/1	22
8th	Delgany Headline (GB) Tristan Durrell · Dan Skelton	150/1	3.75

Non-Runners / Other

Status	Horse	SP
P.U.	Lemon Leaf (IRE) Kevin Brogan · Olly Murphy	200/1
P.U.	Lumiere D'Espoir (GB) Sam Twiston-Davies · Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	125/1

Runners (11)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
1	Wondering Why Bay J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	166	—	51-321	117	117	97	48d	—	—	-6	27.4	0.38/1	6/4 40%
Steadily progressive; scored in big field at Lingfield most recently; respected
8	King Al Bay J:Tom Bellamy T:Alan King	J:Tom Bellamy T:Alan King	156	—	521	123	121	92	32d	—	—	+18	37.5	0.83/1	10/3 23%
In touch with leaders - not fluent 4 out - headway and pressed leaders before 2 out - weakened after last(op 10/3)
3	Ionian Bay J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	159	—	6624	115	123	114	23d	—	—	+7	25	1.00/1	4/1 20%
Led - faced challenges before 2 out - headed and no extra run-in(op 10/3)
7	Road To Wembley Bay J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	159	—	—	-	-	-	—	—	—	-8	3.1	1.75/1	7/1 13%
Four-time AW winner on Flat for Richard Hughes; fairly useful hurdles prospect
5	Leo Wood Bay J:Ciaran Gethings T:Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	J:Ciaran Gethings T:Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	159	—	3-4	-	114	102	18d	—	—	-5	4.8	2.25/1	9/1 10%
Has made the frame in both starts, latest on British debut; still open to progress
2	Cosmic Connection Bay J:Freddie Gordon T:Chris Gordon	J:Freddie Gordon T:Chris Gordon	159	—	P-71	-	-	-	—	—	—	-4	1.6	4.00/1	16/1 6%
Off the mark at the third attempt in Irish points; bred for further under rules
6	Lumiere D'Espoir Bay J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	159	—	P0PP	-	-	-	85d	—	—	-2	0.7	20.00/1	80/1 1%
British debutant who holds poor claims on his French form
10	Delgany Headline Bay J:Tristan Durrell T:Dan Skelton	J:Tristan Durrell T:Dan Skelton	149	—	—	-	-	-	—	—	—	-2	0.6	20.00/1	80/1 1%
Newcomer; half-brother to his connections' 2m6f chase winner Delgany Deadline
4	Lemon Leaf Bay J:Kevin Brogan T:Olly Murphy	J:Kevin Brogan T:Olly Murphy	159	—	584-30	-	104	68	11d	—	—	-1	0.3	37.50/1	150/1 1%
Has weak claims on his two hurdles efforts for new yard
11	Babychino Bay J:James Turner(5) T:Alexander Gibbons	J:James Turner(5) T:Alexander Gibbons	142	h	PP	-	-	-	80d	—	0W/0P 1 run	-1	0.3	75.00/1	300/1 0%
Pulled up in both attempts over hurdles; hood applied
NR	Snow Is In The Sky Bay J:NON-RUNNER T:Gary Brown	J:NON-RUNNER T:Gary Brown	152	—	P17	-	-	-	6d	—	—	—	6.3	—	—
Beaten long way switched to rules last Monday and the form of her Irish point success remains open to question as the race fell apart.

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Wondering Why	11/8	11/8	6/4	6/4	6/4
King Al	10/3	10/3	16/5	3/1	10/3
Ionian	7/2	7/2	7/2	4/1	10/3
Road To Wembley	7/1	7/1	7/1	13/2	7/1
Leo Wood	9/1	8/1	8/1	17/2	15/2
Cosmic Connection	16/1	16/1	16/1	14/1	14/1
Lumiere D'Espoir	80/1	66/1	66/1	50/1	50/1
Delgany Headline	80/1	66/1	66/1	66/1	66/1
Lemon Leaf	150/1	125/1	125/1	125/1	125/1
Babychino	300/1	250/1	250/1	200/1	200/1
Snow Is In The Sky	-	-	-	-	-

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

King Al

37.5

OR: 18.3 Form: 13.5 Odds: 5.7

10/3

2nd

Wondering Why

27.4

OR: 16.8 Form: 0 Odds: 10.6

6/4

3rd

Ionian

OR: 16.3 Form: 3.5 Odds: 5.2

4/1

Snow Is In The Sky

6.3

OR: 0 Form: 6.3 Odds: 0

—

Leo Wood

4.8

OR: 0 Form: 2.1 Odds: 2.7

9/1

Road To Wembley

3.1

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 3.1

7/1

Cosmic Connection

1.6

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 1.6

16/1

Lumiere D'Espoir

0.7

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

80/1

Delgany Headline

0.6

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.6

80/1

Lemon Leaf

0.3

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.3

150/1

Babychino

0.3

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.3

300/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
King Al	123	121	92
Wondering Why	117	117	97
Ionian	115	123	114
Road To Wembley	—	—	—
Leo Wood	—	114	102
Cosmic Connection	—	—	—
Lumiere D'Espoir	—	—	—
Delgany Headline	—	—	—
Lemon Leaf	—	104	68
Babychino	—	—	—
Snow Is In The Sky	—	—	—

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Snow Is In The Sky	6d ago	Quick return
Lemon Leaf	11d ago	Quick return
Leo Wood	18d ago	Fit
Ionian	23d ago	Fit
King Al	32d ago	Fit
Wondering Why	48d ago	Fresh
Babychino	80d ago	Fresh
Lumiere D'Espoir	85d ago	Fresh
Road To Wembley	—	—
Cosmic Connection	—	—
Delgany Headline	—	—