February 18 / 16.45 Taunton

16.45

Soft

South West Rail Solutions Ltd Open Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £3277.72
  • 2m 7f 3y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
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South West Rail Solutions Ltd Open Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

Form: 8/11-1 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 12st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 9yo who enhanced his good strike-rate when returning from an absence to breeze clear for a wide-margin victory on his hunter chase debut at Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy); he's a standout on official ratings and should be hard to beat.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Shearer

12st 0lb

J: Miss Gina Andrews

T: Paul Nicholls

Relinquished an unbeaten record over regulation fences when fifth in this race last year, though he did well to be only 13l off Wonderwall given that he was in the firing line throughout; it's best not to read too much into a recent odds-on defeat behind past Festival hero Unexpected Party at Haydock (2m6f) as that was probably needed after 11 months off; has no ground preferences; can run well.

20/1

3rd

1

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:30 Haydock

Shearer

12st 4lb

J: Miss Gina Andrews

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful hurdler/chaser who launched hunter chase career with two wins in this month last year (2m5f/2m7f) before a creditable fifth at the Cheltenham Festival (3m2f, good to soft); returns from 11-month absence but still commands respect.

9/4

5th

18

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Shearer

12st 0lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Unbeaten over regulation fences, having won two handicaps at about 3m in 2023 and come back from a long absence to win hunter chases at Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy) and Taunton (2m7f, good to soft); Haven't Time gave him something to think about last time and this demands more of him, probably a lot more; the cheekpieces he wore for those handicap wins are back on; Paul Nicholls has won this four times.

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: /U43-3 C

Last run: 278 days

W: 12st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Won a pair of handicap chases for Anthony Honeyball two years ago but looks best watched for now after pulling up in a recent point (following a break).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

24th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 136y

Class 5

19:37 Chepstow

Windance

11st 12lb

J: Mr Jack Stenhouse

T: Martin Sweetland

Landed back-to-back Fontwell and Wincanton staying handicap chases three years ago (good to soft); blameless exit behind Stumps Or Slips latest (hampered) but capable of throwing in his own errors or jumping right; form of this year's completed efforts falls well short of the required.

33/1

9

7th Apr 2026

Good

3m 0f 54y

Class 4

17:10 Exeter

Windance

11st 12lb

J: Mr Jack Stenhouse

T: Martin Sweetland

Four wins under rules divided between hurdles and fences but at an ordinary level; 66-1 when tailed off behind Macklin here last month.

66/1

5th

11

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

Windance

11st 12lb

J: Mr Jack Stenhouse

T: Martin Sweetland

Dual handicap winner in 2023 but last year's point/hunter chase form was uninspiring and he was a long way behind Crawter when reappearing in a Larkhill point this month.

50/1

Form: /513-3

Last run: 291 days

W: 12st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Well held in this last season when a 33-1 chance but things have picked up since then, including a third at Cheltenham last May; could run well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

Havent Time

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Miss S McQueen

No threat to easy winner when second at Taunton (2m7f, heavy) last month but that was still a pretty good effort and he'll probably be better suited by the less testing ground here; a possible.

14/1

2nd

2

12th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:00 Taunton

Havent Time

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Miss S McQueen

Won hunter chase at Southwell (3m, soft) in March 2024 and runner-up in this race last February (good to soft); this 12yo was no match for Golden Son when fourth at Warwick (3m, good to soft) three weeks ago; could improve for that reappearance outing but others still make greater appeal.

33/1

Form: 20/3/U

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Formerly very smart, in bumpers and over hurdles and fences; still sprightly enough to win three of his four points before unseating at the first fence in Shearer's hunter chase at Ffos Las; did go off at only 100-30 (Shearer was 11-4) and he could make a race of it with the likely favourite.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

18th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:45 Taunton

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr Joshua Newman

T: Anthony Honeyball

Formerly very smart, in bumpers and over hurdles and fences; still sprightly enough to win three of his four points before unseating at the first fence in Shearer's hunter chase at Ffos Las; did go off at only 100-30 (Shearer was 11-4) and he could make a race of it with the likely favourite.

100/30

4

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr William Biddick

T: Anthony Honeyball

disputed lead, mistake and unseated 1st

3/1

4

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr William Biddick

T: Anthony Honeyball

disputed lead, mistake and unseated 1st

3/1

Form: P2PP0-

Last run: 307 days

W: 11st 12lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Was notoriously hard to predict when a useful performer for Venetia Williams; recent point form is nothing to shout about and looks vulnerable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Didero Vallis

11st 12lb

J: Mr Daniel Williams

T: Miss Olive Nicholls

Useful staying chaser in his prime but became very disappointing for Venetia Williams during 2023-24 season; made the frame in Taunton hunter chase (2m7f, good to soft) for new stable in February but beat only one rival when winning a recent point; others look stronger.

20/1

10

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Didero Vallis

11st 12lb

J: Mr Daniel Williams

T: Miss Olive Nicholls

Useful staying chaser in his prime but became very disappointing for Venetia Williams during 2023-24 season; made the frame in Taunton hunter chase (2m7f, good to soft) for new stable in February but beat only one rival when winning a recent point; others look stronger.

20/1

4th

5

5th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

17:00 Catterick

Didero Vallis

11st 12lb

J: Mr Daniel Williams

T: Miss Olive Nicholls

prominent, outpaced 13th, weakened 3 out

11/1

Form: 46-386 C

Last run: 185 days

W: 11st 9lb

10 yo Mare

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Has won two handicap chases but off very modest marks and difficult to envisage her winning this, despite a respectable latest effort between the flags.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

17:37 Ludlow

Miladygrace

11st 9lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Miss S Brooke

Ordinary mare who trailed home last of five finishers in similar event at Taunton (hunter chase debut) most recently; again faces a stiff task on the figures.

40/1

8

18th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:45 Taunton

Miladygrace

11st 9lb

J: Mr Freddie Keighley

T: Miss S Brooke

Has won two handicap chases but off very modest marks and difficult to envisage her winning this, despite a respectable latest effort between the flags.

50/1

6th

7

17th Aug 2024

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

18:50 Market Rasen

Miladygrace

10st 9lb

J: James Best

T: Martin Keighley

Both wins (one here) have been recorded at 2m2f-2m3f, but today's sort of trip may now be closer to optimum judged on this summer's evidence; back below her last winning mark and not ruled out; visor added.

16/1

Form: P3-344

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner for Dan Skelton, for whom he was 0-3 over fences; beaten in five hunter chases for current yard and others are much preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

1st May 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 4

18:50 Warwick

Missed Tee

11st 8lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Miss V Collins

Third and sixth in the last two renewals of the 2m race on this card, and still appeals more over shorter despite a win over the full 3m trip at Chaddesley Corbett last May; 0-14 over rules fences.

12/1

4th

5

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:57 Ludlow

Missed Tee

11st 5lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Miss V Collins

0-13 over regulation fences and she needs to improve on her recent seconds in hunter chases at Stratford and here.

13/2

2nd

9

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:50 Ludlow

Missed Tee

11st 5lb

J: Mr Lucas Murphy

T: Miss V Collins

Third in this race in 2024 and she easily won a ladies open at Chaddesley Corbett (3m, good) in May; had wind surgery (her third) before an encouraging second in novice hunter chase at Stratford (2m5f, soft) despite having the door slammed in her face on the home turn ten days ago; should go well again.

8/1

Non-runners

Lakota Warrior, Viva Lavilla

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Shearer

Daily Mail:

Acey Milan

RP RATINGS:

Shearer

POSTDATA:

Shearer

The Times:

Shearer

Telegraph:

Shearer

The Guardian:

Shearer

D Express:

Shearer

Daily Mirror:

Shearer

The Sun:

Shearer

The Star:

Shearer

Daily Record:

Shearer