February 03 / 13.40 Taunton

13.40

Heavy

Racing To School Celebrates 25 Years Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div I)

  • Prize money: £5446
  • 2m 3f 1y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Racing To School Celebrates 25 Years Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div I)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 54-

Last run: 318 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Irish point winner (good to yielding) who bettered his low-key rules debut when fourth in valuable Newbury bumper (good) last March; makes hurdling debut after 318-day absence and on much slower ground but looks an interesting prospect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

16:40 Aintree

Talk To The Man

11st 8lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Irish point winner; couldn't win a bumper but he's looked good in winning two novice hurdles, last time justifying market support with an oh-so-easy win under a penalty at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft; runner-up useful); dangerously unexposed and highly rated in a top yard that's also represented by No Drama This End; interesting, and stamina shouldn't be an issue when he's by Walk In The Park and his dam is a sister to Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere.

15/2

1st

1

27th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 118y

Class 3

15:35 Newbury

Talk To The Man

11st 6lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls has won three of the last five runnings of this race; this Irish point winner (good to yielding) left his bumper form behind when comfortably accounting for his penalised market rival in a 2m3f novice at Taunton (heavy); it's difficult to know how good he might be and he commands considerable respect.

11/8

1st

9

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

13:40 Taunton

Talk To The Man

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Irish point winner (good to yielding) who bettered his low-key rules debut when fourth in valuable Newbury bumper (good) last March; makes hurdling debut after 318-day absence and on much slower ground but looks an interesting prospect.

3/1

8/11

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 3-31

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Caught the eye when keeping on steadily for third on seasonal/hurdle debut in November and created good impression when drawing clear to win by 12l at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; ought to be a tough nut to crack.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

21st Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

16:38 Ffos Las

Kings Champion

11st 12lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Won easily at Ayr (2m4f, soft) in January, his second hurdling start, and was not discredited when second to useful rival at Taunton (2m3f, heavy; front pair well clear) in February; ought to make his presence felt.

4/1

2nd

2

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

13:40 Taunton

Kings Champion

11st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Caught the eye when keeping on steadily for third on seasonal/hurdle debut in November and created good impression when drawing clear to win by 12l at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; ought to be a tough nut to crack.

8/11

100/1

  • Place: £22.90

Form: 05

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Badly out of form on the Flat for Anthony Charlton last year and soundly beaten at triple-digit odds in two 2m hurdles here (both on good) for new stable; cheekpieces left off today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

6th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:42 Fontwell

Marhaba Million

10st 9lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: Syd Hosie

Useful Flat winner so he's been disappointing over hurdles, though has finished within 10l of the winner in his last two handicaps (2m4f/3m); a visor replaces cheekpieces and this aid did nothing for him on the Flat.

20/1

4th

4

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

15:07 Taunton

Marhaba Million

10st 11lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Syd Hosie

A fair 1m4f Flat maiden for Owen Burrows; yet to show that level of form in this sphere but took a step forward when sixth of 12 in 2m4f Wincanton handicap 17 days ago; possibilities off a slipping mark.

8/1

6th

7

23rd Mar 2026

Good

2m 3f 179y

Class 5

17:32 Wincanton

Marhaba Million

11st 4lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: Syd Hosie

Became disappointing on the Flat last year and has not shown much since switched to hurdling; pulled up when 40-1 for last month's handicap hurdle debut at Taunton (2m3f, good to soft); difficult to enthuse over.

33/1

OUR TIP

Form: 92-131 C

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner; lacked fluency when beaten favourite on hurdling debut in December but made amends with 7.5l success under positive ride here (2m, good) last month; big player if suited by the increased emphasis on stamina today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

20th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:00 Warwick

Crest Of Stars

11st 10lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Anthony Honeyball

Bumper winner who landed his second race over hurdles at Taunton (2m3f, good) last month; shapes as though he'll be suited by this step up in distance; respected.

5/2

1st

1

22nd Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

16:53 Taunton

Crest Of Stars

11st 12lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Anthony Honeyball

2m maiden hurdle (good) winner here in January; disappointed on heavy ground over C&D after but bounced back when a staying-on third on handicap debut at Ludlow (2m, good) last time, suggesting he'd be worth another try at this trip; respected back in a novice with Chad Bament claiming 7lb.

3/1

3rd

5

30th Mar 2026

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

16:27 Ludlow

Crest Of Stars

11st 8lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Bumper winner who was well on top late on to win a Taunton maiden on good ground in January; highly likely that heavy ground didn't float his boat when tailed off back there under a penalty; doesn't look hurled in for this first handicap but he wouldn't be exposed yet.

4/1

Form: 60

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Not beaten far when sixth on bumper debut in October but always behind when 200-1 for Exeter maiden hurdle (2m, good to soft) last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

13:40 Taunton

Like A Dancer

11st 2lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Evan Williams

Not beaten far when sixth on bumper debut in October but always behind when 200-1 for Exeter maiden hurdle (2m, good to soft) last month.

100/1

6th

7

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

16:30 Ffos Las

Like A Dancer

11st 1lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Evan Williams

4,000euros 3yo; third foal; half-brother to point winner Theoldboggroad; dam bumper winner, half-sister to useful 2m hurdle winner Bennys Fagartha; stable's bumper runners are usually best watched.

50/1

6th

7

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

16:30 Ffos Las

Like A Dancer

11st 1lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Evan Williams

4,000euros 3yo; third foal; half-brother to point winner Theoldboggroad; dam bumper winner, half-sister to useful 2m hurdle winner Bennys Fagartha; stable's bumper runners are usually best watched.

50/1

Form: 70FP

Last run: 44 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in good-ground Irish point last spring but yet to show anything more than minor promise under rules.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

26th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 16y

Class 5

14:18 Chepstow

Kings Order

11st 9lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Mrs C Williams

Tailed off when 100-1 for last month's handicap hurdle debut here (2m3f, soft; raced too freely) but came second in good-ground Irish point last spring and was running well before falling in good-ground novice hurdle in the autumn; back on forecast decent ground today; no surprise if he features.

20/1

11th

5

21st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

16:48 Chepstow

Kings Order

11st 11lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Evan Williams

Runner-up in good-ground Irish point last spring; yet to show anything more than minor promise after four hurdling starts (2m-2m4f) but improvement is possible on this handicap debut.

16/1

7th

6

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

13:40 Taunton

Kings Order

11st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Evan Williams

Runner-up in good-ground Irish point last spring but yet to show anything more than minor promise under rules.

100/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

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

Form: 80

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

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

Non-runners

Bye Bye Salam

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.20
Straight Forecast £6.32
Trifecta £254.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Kings Champion

The Times:

Crest Of Stars

Daily Mail:

Talk To The Man

RP RATINGS:

Kings Champion

TOPSPEED:

Kings Champion

POSTDATA:

Kings Champion

Telegraph:

Kings Champion

D Express:

Kings Champion

Daily Mirror:

Kings Champion

The Sun:

Kings Champion

The Star:

Kings Champion

Daily Record:

Kings Champion

The Guardian:

Crest Of Stars