November 30 / 14.00 Taunton

14.00

Good

Stables Business Park Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £7208.56
  • 2m 3f 1y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Stables Business Park Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £4.00
  • Place: £2.10

Form: /11/3-

Last run: 278 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Pushed last season's County Hurdle winner close in early 2021 before winning two small-field novices (2m4f/2m5f) at odds-on; absent for 629 days prior to finishing a 15l third at Kempton (2m5f) in February and now returns from another lengthy break; current wellbeing is an issue but he's potentially on a fair mark if as good as he was.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

10th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 131y

Class 2

15:12 Chepstow

Will Carver

10st 13lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Had wind surgery since a laboured effort at Cartmel in late August (cheekpieces joined regular tongue-tie) but he has become wickedly inconsistent; capable off this mark but others have to rate safer propositions.

12/1

3

25th Aug 2025

Good

3m 1f 107y

Class 3

16:05 Cartmel

Will Carver

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Second at Ayr in April (2m4f, good to soft) behind a revitalised rival but ran moderately the following month and he is wickedly inconsistent; cheekpieces are added; mixed record after breaks.

12/1

13/2

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 5211-P CD BF

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Made all on his handicap debut over C&D in March (heavy; first-time tongue-tie) and he made a bad jumping error before stopping quickly on his return at Wetherby (after a wind operation), though he wasn't exactly in cruise control at the time; remains something of an unknown quantity.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

15th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

19:10 Fontwell

Decorated

11st 7lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Oliver Signy

Has appreciated the return to hurdles and made pretty much all over 2m3f (good) here three weeks ago; up 7lb but rated higher in the past.

13/8

3rd

3

15th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

19:10 Fontwell

Decorated

11st 7lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Oliver Signy

Has appreciated the return to hurdles and made pretty much all over 2m3f (good) here three weeks ago; up 7lb but rated higher in the past.

13/8

1st

2

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

19:47 Fontwell

Decorated

12st 0lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Oliver Signy

Chasing did not go to plan but he's returned to hurdles on last two starts, runner-up over C&D (good to soft) on latest despite not always jumping fluently; off the same mark, he should make his presence felt.

11/4

OUR TIP

Form: 821-7P C

Last run: 11 days

W: 12st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
His last campaign went well, winning three times and close up behind this season's big improver Blueking D'Oroux in an Ascot handicap in April; late mistakes never helped when well held on his Cheltenham return but he was beaten at a worryingly early stage in the Greatwood; while this is easier than that assignment, he now has a point to prove with cheekpieces turned to and sent up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

3

4th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 2

17:13 Fakenham

Afadil

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Paul Nicholls

Without a win since February 2024 but gave good account when sixth (promoted to fifth) at last month's Aintree festival; 2lb lower here and well worth another crack at 2m4f; considered.

14/1

6th

22

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 103y

Class 2

17:15 Aintree

Afadil

10st 13lb

J: Jay Tidball

T: Paul Nicholls

18 races and over two years since his last win, albeit still frequently competitive; below par over 2m5f at Ascot only 12 days ago but his peak form has come at around 2m (third in this in 2024).

22/1

7th

5

29th Mar 2026

Good

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

17:25 Ascot

Afadil

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

17 races and over two years since his last win, albeit still frequently competitive; big majority of his career has been at about 2m (he last went over further in October 2024) and he's never been this far.

9/2

Form: FF-19P D

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Commendable fourth in the 2m2f Cesarewitch in October but ran no race on his return to hurdling at Cheltenham when beaten too far out to blame 3m; a four-time winner in this discipline but not easily trusted after that latest effort.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

(6)

17th Apr 2026

Good To Firm

2m 1f 24y

Class 5

16:15 Bath

Bashful Boy

9st 2lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

Veteran who hasn't won since 2023 but he's been in fair form on AW this spring including when fourth on Polytrack (2m) in his last two starts; should be in the mix again but he needs to find more to make a big impact; cheekpieces are removed and blinkers return.

9/2

4th

4

(1)

6th Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 5

17:50 Kempton (AW)

Bashful Boy

9st 12lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

Veteran who hasn't won since 2023; expensive to follow in recent times but he arrives in form and this is a touch easier again off a career-low mark; can't be left out of calculations.

4/1

4th

4

(4)

20th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 7f 169y

Class 5

14:12 Lingfield (AW)

Bashful Boy

9st 7lb

J: Jack Dace

T: David Pipe

Losing run dates back to July 2023; conditions are no problem for this veteran and he has been running respectably of late; others appeal more all the same.

8/1

66/1

Form: UF51-7

Last run: 20 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
The horse she beat over hurdles in France last December has been very limited in Britain; looked on a tough mark for British debut at Exeter (2m5f, good to soft) and she duly trailed in tailed off at 66-1.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

4th Jun 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 5

15:35 Newton Abbot

Chabadatika

11st 10lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Charlton

2m1f and 2m3f hurdle winner; well beaten second at Taunton (3m, good to firm) in April but fared better here (2m5f, good) latest; not ruled out but she does have a bit to prove over his trip.

5/1

3

4th Jun 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 5

15:35 Newton Abbot

Chabadatika

11st 10lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Charlton

2m1f and 2m3f hurdle winner; well beaten second at Taunton (3m, good to firm) in April but fared better here (2m5f, good) latest; not ruled out but she does have a bit to prove over his trip.

5/1

Form: 512P-1 CD

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Narrow wins over C&D (soft) and 2m4f at Plumpton (good to soft) in his last four starts, having dug deepest on both occasions; 3lb rise for last time is by no means the end of the world, and every chance of him going in again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

18th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 3

13:00 Exeter

Forever William

11st 4lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Dan Skelton

didn't always jump with fluency, led, headed when not fluent 2nd, reminders when lost second after 7th, struggling from 9th, weakened before 4 out

11/8

3rd

1

18th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 3

13:00 Exeter

Forever William

11st 4lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Dan Skelton

didn't always jump with fluency, led, headed when not fluent 2nd, reminders when lost second after 7th, struggling from 9th, weakened before 4 out

11/8

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £13.70
Straight Forecast £12.01
Trifecta £35.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Will Carver

The Times:

Forever William

POSTDATA:

Afadil

TOPSPEED:

Decorated

RP RATINGS:

Bashful Boy

WEST COUNTRY:

Afadil

Daily Mail:

Forever William

The Star:

Forever William

Daily Record:

Forever William

LAMBOURN:

Will Carver

Telegraph:

Will Carver

The Guardian:

Will Carver

D Express:

Will Carver

Daily Mirror:

Will Carver

The Sun:

Will Carver