March 02 / 16.35 Taunton

16.35

Good

Free Racing On Monday 13th March Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £2722.46
  • 2m 0f 104y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
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Free Racing On Monday 13th March Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: NH Flat

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £1.30

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
First reported foal; dam (ran three times) won AW bumper, half-sister to two bumper winners (one also a hurdle winner); bred to do well in this discipline, in which yard also has a good record; interesting newcomer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

18th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

14:20 Ayr

Secret Squirrel

10st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Hughie Morrison

Just two starts this season and down the field in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last month; however, prior to that he was a creditable third of four in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) and he was a progressive handicapper last term (various ground); not discounted.

7/1

19th

23

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Secret Squirrel

10st 5lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Hughie Morrison

Won a valuable handicap hurdle at Windsor (2m, soft) last winter and probably would have been placed in two others but for falling at the last; showed more than enough to think he retains all of his ability when third of four to Alexei in the Grade 2 Kingwell at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) on reappearance four weeks ago; entitled to come on for that.

12/1

3rd

4

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 50y

Class 1

13:35 Wincanton

Secret Squirrel

11st 4lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Hughie Morrison

Overall record of 5-12, including three wins at around 2m over hurdles (good to soft/soft); his last win was at Windsor last January but he fell at the last in a major handicap at Newbury the following month and has been on the sidelines since; has something to prove after a year off and this looks tough on the figures.

7/1

6/4

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 2 BF

Last run: 58 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Bought for £200,000 after winning his sole Irish maiden point (3m, good to yielding) and he was the 5-4 favourite when runner-up on his bumper debut at Musselburgh (1m7f, soft) in January; sets a good form standard and is open to improvement.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

8

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Act Of Authority

11st 10lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Olly Murphy

Finished fifth with cheekpieces applied at the Cheltenham Festival (2m4f, soft) for another sound effort in the Martin Pipe; broadly consistent; likely to give his running in the retained headgear.

16/1

5th

13

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

17:20 Cheltenham

Act Of Authority

11st 6lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Olly Murphy

Hasn't won since November 2024 but he's a broadly consistent sort and posted a cracking effort in this race (good to soft) 12 months ago, beating all bar smart mare Wodhooh who was very well handicapped; only 1lb higher and again has each-way possibilities; wears first-time headgear.

14/1

8th

4

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 63y

Class 2

14:25 Ascot

Act Of Authority

11st 8lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Olly Murphy

Acts on soft ground; on a 15-month losing spell but is a consistent sort, creditable fourth to Listentoyourheart at Windsor (2m4f) most recently; again has frame possibilities.

7/1

16/1

  • Place: £2.90

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
14,000gns yearling; ninth foal; half-brother to four Flat winners including useful pair Fifth Avenue (1m) and Heisman (1m-1m1f); dam 6f 2yo Listed winner; makes debut in what may be a warm race; perhaps best watched.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

6th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

17:55 Wetherby

Light Sentence

10st 8lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

From a good Flat family; positives to take from both his runs and did well to finish second at Taunton (good to soft) given how keenly he raced; must have a chance.

7/2

2nd

11

20th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

16:45 Taunton

Light Sentence

10st 6lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

From a good Flat family and shaped with significant promise when third over C&D (good) on debut 18 days ago; has a fighting chance if able to build on that performance today.

12/1

3rd

6

2nd Mar 2023

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

16:35 Taunton

Light Sentence

10st 6lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Oliver Signy

took keen hold, prominent, pushed along and briefly led over 2f out, ridden and outpaced over 1f out, kept on

16/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
14,000euros foal, 40,000euros 3yo; second foal; dam placed in 2m4f maiden hurdle, out of 2m4f bumper-winning sister to the smart Back In Focus; the fact he makes his debut in a hood strikes a cautionary note but his yard has a healthy strike-rate in bumpers and the betting could be informative.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

7th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 42y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Tune In A Box

10st 10lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Won four times over hurdles; little promise on his first three attempts at chasing but there was much more encouragement in a never-nearer third of ten at Newbury (2m7f, heavy) four weeks ago; has been dropped 10lb in the weights since his chasing debut and drying ground should not inconvenience him in the slightest; could be ready to strike.

13/2

3rd

10

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 3

15:55 Newbury

Tune In A Box

10st 5lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

A winner over hurdles at up to 3m but yet to get anything going over fences (0-3) and this is a tough race in which to put that right.

16/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 9lb

6 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Comfortably made all on debut in Irish mares' maiden point (3m, yielding) in November and sold for £170,000 the following month; has joined a top yard for her rules career and has to be respected, even taking on males.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

1

23rd Nov 2023

Soft

1m 7f 50y

Class 4

14:05 Wincanton

Annie K

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Bought for £170,000 after comfortably making all in an Irish point (yielding); free to post and during the race when a remote fifth in a bumper at Taunton in March; now hooded and has had wind surgery; entitled to do better.

4/1

5th

5

2nd Mar 2023

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

16:35 Taunton

Annie K

10st 9lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

keen to post, raced freely, led, pushed along 3f out, ridden and headed over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

15/8

Form: 04

Last run: 60 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Beaten only about 9l when 11th of 12 at Ascot (1m7f, good) on debut and heavy ground may not have suited at Exeter since, but he needs to step up on that debut form if he's to come out on top here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

10th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 114y

Class 4

14:23 Plumpton

Bar Thyme

11st 6lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

Minor form in bumpers and now clearly flattered by his debut effort at Ascot when under 9l off the winner; others preferred.

25/1

6th

2

2nd Mar 2023

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

16:35 Taunton

Bar Thyme

11st 2lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

took keen hold, prominent, pushed along 6f out, weakened from 4f out

12/1

4th

1

1st Jan 2023

Soft

2m 0f 161y

Class 5

15:50 Exeter

Bar Thyme

11st 8lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

Half-brother to useful jumpers Jepeck and Western Jo; not beaten far when 11th of 12 at Ascot (good) in October but never really looked likely to land a telling blow there.

8/1

Form: 3

Last run: 107 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Fair third of five when 40-1 on debut at Fakenham (2m, good to soft) in November and he's open to improvement, but it's needed today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

30th Nov 2023

Good

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

15:10 Taunton

Haafbourd

11st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

midfield, not fluent 5th, not fluent 6th

33/1

6th

4

7th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 3f 0y

Class 4

12:45 Warwick

Haafbourd

11st 0lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

towards rear

250/1

7th

6

14th May 2023

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

14:35 Ludlow

Haafbourd

11st 1lb

J: Connor Brace

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

Not beaten far when third of five in Fakenham bumper in November but struggled on his first two hurdling attempts.

100/1

OUR TIP

66/1

Form: 7

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
25-1, soundly beaten in mid-division on debut at Fontwell (2m1f, good to soft) in January; others have much stronger claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:10 Cartmel

Cocardier

11st 7lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Alan Jones

Safely held when 25-1 for handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m, good to soft) just over a year ago and not seen again since but remains very unexposed and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting; tongue-tie added.

14/1

7

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:10 Cartmel

Cocardier

11st 7lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Alan Jones

Safely held when 25-1 for handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m, good to soft) just over a year ago and not seen again since but remains very unexposed and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting; tongue-tie added.

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £17.70
Straight Forecast £14.22
Trifecta £108.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Act Of Authority

WEST COUNTRY:

Annie K

The Times:

Secret Squirrel

D Express:

Secret Squirrel

RP Ratings:

Act Of Authority

TOPSPEED:

Act Of Authority

POSTDATA:

Act Of Authority

The Guardian:

Act Of Authority

Daily Mail:

Act Of Authority

Telegraph:

Annie K

Daily Mirror:

Annie K

The Sun:

Annie K

The Star:

Annie K

Daily Record:

Annie K