December 30 / 14.17 Taunton

14.17

Good To Soft

Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £19932.5
  • 2m 0f 104y
  • Class 1
  • 7 runners
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Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.88
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 12-3

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in Grade 2 bumper at Aintree festival in April (soft ground) and made highly promising seasonal/hurdle debut when keeping-on third behind Listentoyourheart in Newbury Listed race (2m, good to soft) last month; 2lb better off with Dan Skelton's mare here and, more pertinently, she has considerable potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Jubilee Alpha

10st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Three wins as novice included a 2m4f Listed event here; advanced her RPR again when second in 2m5f Wincanton handicap (good; acts on soft) on return but hasn't quite managed to reproduce that level since, despite finishing runner-up in Listed races the last twice; drops back in trip for handicap debut.

20/1

2nd

3

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 5y

Class 1

13:15 Warwick

Jubilee Alpha

11st 4lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Paul Nicholls

Three wins as a novice included two at Listed level, beating Hollygrove Cha Cha and La Pinsonniere in the process; weighted to confirm places with both those rivals and in this season's three defeats she's posted her best RPRs; should prove difficult to beat.

Evs

1st

1

17th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 56y

Class 1

15:55 Cheltenham

Jubilee Alpha

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

in rear

11/2

7/1

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 11-11 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
2-2 in bumpers last season and 2-2 over hurdles this term, the latter win gained at Fontwell (2m3f, soft) three weeks ago; has a lot more on her plate here and is not sure to benefit from the drop back in trip but we don't yet know the limit of her ability.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

1

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 100y

Class 1

13:00 Kelso

Hollygrove Cha Cha

11st 4lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Won Grade 2 novice hurdle at Sandown (2m4f, soft) last February and scored at Exeter (2m1f, heavy) in December on second chase start; reverted to hurdles with all-the-way Listed win at Warwick (2m5f, heavy) last month; also effective on good/good to soft; half-sister to a 2m7f winner and there's every chance she'll stay this far; leading claims if seeing it out.

15/8

1st

2

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 5y

Class 1

13:15 Warwick

Hollygrove Cha Cha

11st 5lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Grade 2 winner as a novice but is held by Jubilee Alpha on last season's clashes with that mare; this campaign started very promisingly over fences and was let down by her jumping when below par last time at Windsor; can't afford to be at all off her game on this return to hurdling if she's to scare Jubilee Alpha.

3/1

5th

2

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 42y

Class 2

14:25 Windsor

Hollygrove Cha Cha

12st 0lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Progressive mare whose overall record is 6-9; beat Bluey by nearly 5l, admittedly in receipt of 6lb, at Exeter (2m1f, heavy; jumped left; second chase attempt) most recently; form over 2m4f features a Grade 2 hurdle win (soft); respected on handicap debut, the way she's going.

11/4

Form: 125 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Fair Flat racer who won on hurdling debut at Newton Abbot (2m1f, good) in September; that form looks better now than it did at the time but Listentoyourheart was far too good for her in two Newbury races in November.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

19th May 2026

Good To Firm

3m 1f 10y

Class 3

19:30 Huntingdon

Kitty Foyle

11st 9lb

J: Robbie David

T: Daisy Hitchins

Returned from break with wide-margin win in three-runner contest at Wincanton (3m, good) last month; the value of that form is open to question (leader crashed through rail and ran out in home straight) but she remains unexposed over this sort of trip and the handicapper has been pragmatic in raising her 4lb.

4/1

1st

2

12th Apr 2026

Good

3m 0f 150y

Class 4

14:20 Wincanton

Kitty Foyle

11st 6lb

J: Robbie David

T: Daisy Hitchins

Flat/hurdle winner; headed to Kempton last time unproven over this far but saw it out fine to finish third of the nine runners (on good ground); solid chance off 1lb higher.

9/4

3rd

2

18th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

15:05 Stratford

Kitty Foyle

11st 12lb

J: Robbie David

T: Daisy Hitchins

Won a Flat handicap (1m6f, soft) and a novice hurdle (2m1f, good) last autumn; mixed record under both codes since then but she's been highly tried in last four hurdle runs and was third in a Listed race at Taunton last December; now returns to jumping after a short break and needs watching in market on handicap hurdle debut; tongue-tie added.

11/4

Form: 25-111 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Useful in bumpers last season and has impressed on all three hurdling starts this term, most recently when winning in this grade at Newbury (2m, good to soft) last month; has 5lb penalty this time but ought to be a tough nut to crack.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

4

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 178y

Class 2

17:15 Sandown

Listentoyourheart

10st 13lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Just held on to land big prize at Windsor (2m4f, good) on New Year's Day but wasn't in quite the same form on next two outings (2m3f/3m) and probably needs to find hidden reserves.

13/2

3rd

2

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 100y

Class 1

13:00 Kelso

Listentoyourheart

11st 2lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Game when winning 2m4f handicap at Windsor (good) on New Year's Day, shaping as though she would be worth a crack at a staying trip; soundly beaten at Ascot (2m3f, good to soft) since, and in view of this longer distance it's a concern she failed to settle that day, but she's not ruled out.

5/1

7th

7

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 63y

Class 2

14:25 Ascot

Listentoyourheart

10st 13lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Has bits of form on soft, campaigned mostly on faster ground; steadily back to form this term and landed a valuable handicap, holding on by a neck, at Windsor (2m4f) most recently; should remain competitive.

6/1

Form: 314-21 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Only about 3l behind Jubilee Alpha when fourth in Grade 2 bumper at Aintree festival in April (soft ground) and built upon her promising hurdle debut when readily beating the winner of that Aintree bumper at Lingfield (2m, soft) three weeks ago; ought to make her presence felt.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

18

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

13:20 Cheltenham

Metkayina

11st 4lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Noel Williams

held up in rear

50/1

OUR TIP

Form: 5

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made fairly encouraging stable/hurdle debut when fifth over C&D (good) 18 days ago but needs to take a huge step forward to trouble the principals today; hooded for first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

21st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

16:48 Chepstow

Dont Tell Rosie

11st 8lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

0-9 over hurdles but returned to form with creditable third over C&D (soft; usual hood removed) last month and has obvious claims if in the right mood again.

9/2

3rd

9

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

13:00 Chepstow

Dont Tell Rosie

11st 4lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Was running well in handicaps at about this trip early in 2025 but she hasn't got to grips with this season so far and was well back at Warwick after Christmas; now goes without regular hood.

16/1

Form: 343254 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Kept on for a respectable fourth in this grade at Punchestown (2m3f, good to yielding) three weeks ago and can cope with today's drop back in trip but has modest 1-14 strike-rate over hurdles and is seemingly exposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

30th May 2026

Good

1m 7f 130y

17:23 Tramore

Disco Dancer

11st 7lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

One of two for the yard; bumper/dual winning hurdler; hasn't been at her best since returning from a year off and one or two others appeal more.

10/1

4

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

14:25 Killarney

Disco Dancer

11st 0lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

One of two for trainer; bumper/dual winning hurdler; returned from almost a year off when well beaten on Flat in February; more promise in 10l fifth over hurdles at Navan (2m, soft); didn't build on that at Bellewstown last time.

18/1

8th

1

18th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 1f 30y

15:15 Bellewstown

Disco Dancer

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Bumper and dual winning hurdler; came back from almost a year off the track when well beaten in a 1m4f maiden at Dundalk in February; more promise in her 10l fifth of 12 at Navan last month (2m, soft); more needed with cheekpieces added to the tongue tie.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.50
Straight Forecast £14.00
Trifecta £183.30

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Listentoyourheart

POSTDATA:

Hollygrove Cha Cha

SPOTLIGHT:

Jubilee Alpha

The Times:

Metkayina

LAMBOURN:

Hollygrove Cha Cha

Telegraph:

Hollygrove Cha Cha

The Star:

Hollygrove Cha Cha

Daily Record:

Hollygrove Cha Cha

RP RATINGS:

Jubilee Alpha

WEST COUNTRY:

Jubilee Alpha

The Guardian:

Listentoyourheart

Daily Mail:

Listentoyourheart

D Express:

Listentoyourheart

Daily Mirror:

Listentoyourheart