December 14 / 11.45 Taunton

11.45

Soft

Blackdown Motor Company Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4673.68
  • 2m 0f 104y
  • Class 5
  • 11 runners
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Blackdown Motor Company Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 11 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

20/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.50
  • Place: £2.40

Form: 6-85

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Smart on the Flat in his prime and showed first significant promise over hurdles when fifth of 18 in Lingfield novice (2m, good to soft) a fortnight ago but others have more persuasive profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

21st Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 5

14:50 Musselburgh

Quian

11st 8lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Has been resurgent after wind surgery and he's won at Catterick (2m3f, soft/good to soft) in the last two of his three runs for current yard; up another 5lb but he scored with some authority last time and remains well treated on old form; key player.

2/1

1st

8

25th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 66y

Class 5

14:30 Catterick

Quian

11st 3lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Lizzie Quinlan

pressed leader, led 4th

5/2

1st

8

31st Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 66y

Class 5

13:05 Catterick

Quian

10st 12lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

raced in second, not fluent 2 out, ridden and led after 2 out, edged left run-in, kept on well

11/2

14/1

  • Place: £3.20

Form: 784-U

Last run: 219 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Fair Flat-racer; seemed to be getting his act together over hurdles when fourth in C&D (good) novice in February but unseated rider on handicap debut in May and has been absent since a very poor Flat run in July.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

(3)

19th May 2026

Good

1m 3f 133y

Class 5

14:10 Lingfield

Kings Castle

9st 6lb

J: Taryn Langley

T: David Simcock

Won at Ffos Las (1m2f, good to soft) and Sandown (1m2f, good) last summer, but he wasn't able to build on those victories in three subsequent starts; absent since October but has place claims on this reappearance.

7/1

6/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 0P-032

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Out of form on the Flat and over hurdles this year but placed in two chases last month, more recently when close second to revitalised opponent at Hereford (2m, good); ought to handle today's slower ground and switches back to hurdling on a good mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

3

27th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

17:55 Stratford

Phoenix Aquilus

11st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: Seamus Mullins

Still a maiden over jumps and ended up a long way behind when back from a break at Uttoxeter.

10/1

9th

3

26th Jul 2024

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

15:55 Uttoxeter

Phoenix Aquilus

11st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: Seamus Mullins

Still a maiden over jumps but showed encouraging form last November/December for Seamus Durack; heed the market signals on return from layoff and debut for new yard.

7/1

Form: 6P59/2

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Seven-time Flat winner; well beaten on handicap hurdle debut in spring 2022 but returned to this sphere with very good second of 15 over C&D (good to soft) a fortnight ago and is a major player if he copes with today's forecast slower ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

(2)

9th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 179y

Class 5

18:55 Leicester

Johnny Boom

9st 7lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: Shaun Lycett

Scored over C&D in October and he got back on track when second of 12 in 1m4f Pontefract handicap last month; must enter calculations nudged up 1lb.

9/2

2nd

4

(13)

7th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 5y

Class 5

16:27 Pontefract

Johnny Boom

9st 6lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Shaun Lycett

Caused 28-1 surprise on soft ground at Leiester (1m4f) in the autumn but was below that form on his two AW starts in February (wore cheekpieces) and is too inconsistent to rely upon; no headgear today.

14/1

Form: 5324- BF

Last run: 296 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Pretty useful on the Flat and has made the frame on three of his four hurdling starts, most recently when fourth of 12 on handicap hurdle debut here (2m3f, good) in February; needs a better performance today, though, and returned from break with a disappointing AW run last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

30th Jan 2024

Heavy

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

13:00 Chepstow

Dancing Harry

11st 2lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: Roger Teal

Fairly useful on the Flat but 0-6 over hurdles; ran well when fifth on return to this sphere at Taunton (2m, good to soft) last month but was below that form on his latest outing and his stamina heads into unknown territory here; others preferred.

10/1

6th

1

12th Jan 2024

Soft

1m 7f 50y

Class 5

14:30 Wincanton

Dancing Harry

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Roger Teal

prominent, disputing second after 3 out, lost position after 2 out, weakened approaching last

8/1

Form: 0/00-1 D

Last run: 64 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Showed very little on his five hurdling starts in Ireland but improved to win readily on stable debut at Sedgefield (2m1f, good) in October; encounters slower ground here but could easily have a lot more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

4

22nd Jul 2025

Yielding

2m 6f 41y

19:42 Ballinrobe

Karloss

11st 5lb

J: Philip Byrnes

T: Conor David Maxwell

Won a 2m1f handicap for Sam Drinkwater at Sedgefield in October 2023; encouraging debut for this yard after long layoff at Clonmel in May (19.5f, good); stamina to prove for this trip; chance if he stays.

11/2

Form: 523700

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Placed off 5lb higher on handicap debut at Newton Abbot (2m2f, good) in June but has looked out of sorts on recent outings and comes here with a lot to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

17th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

16:40 Uttoxeter

Moonshine Spirit

10st 10lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Fergal O’Brien

0-8 over hurdles and absent since ending 2023 with some disappointing efforts, but he resumes on a reduced mark and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting.

10/1

7th

8

14th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

11:45 Taunton

Moonshine Spirit

11st 9lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Fergal O’Brien

Placed off 5lb higher on handicap debut at Newton Abbot (2m2f, good) in June but has looked out of sorts on recent outings and comes here with a lot to prove.

16/1

11th

6

27th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

1m 7f 169y

Class 5

13:05 Ludlow

Moonshine Spirit

11st 7lb

J: Connor Brace

T: Fergal O’Brien

Reached the frame in three of his first four hurdle runs but he's returned from a break with two disappointing efforts this autumn; looks feasibly treated on his best hurdles form but needs to get back on track.

10/1

Form: 27882-

Last run: 274 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
0-11 over hurdles for Ben Pauling; no match for winner when second of four at Huntingdon (2m, soft) in March and makes stable debut after 274-day absence; had wind surgery in October; others preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

6th Feb 2024

Good

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

16:50 Taunton

Chadlington Lad

11st 0lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Richenda Ford

towards rear

40/1

8th

11

14th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

11:45 Taunton

Chadlington Lad

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Richenda Ford

0-11 over hurdles for Ben Pauling; no match for winner when second of four at Huntingdon (2m, soft) in March and makes stable debut after 274-day absence; had wind surgery in October; others preferred.

12/1

33/1

Form: 0/P-49

Last run: 54 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Belied huge odds when fourth of 12 in Newton Abbot novice (2m1f, good to soft) in May but struggled (albeit on heavy ground) there in October and is not an easy one to predict on today's handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

10

20th Jul 2025

Good

2m 2f 110y

Class 5

16:07 Newton Abbot

Zufal

10st 8lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Jimmy Frost

0-11 over hurdles; did not achieve a great deal when remote third over C&D (good) last month and needs combination of refitted tongue-tie and first-time cheekpieces to generate improvement.

33/1

3rd

6

24th Jun 2025

Good

2m 2f 110y

Class 5

19:27 Newton Abbot

Zufal

10st 11lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Jimmy Frost

Well beaten here on both outings this year (2m5f/2m1f) and has now been unplaced all ten hurdling starts; difficult to enthuse over.

33/1

4

13th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 5

20:25 Newton Abbot

Zufal

11st 1lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Jimmy Frost

Yet to be placed from ten starts under rules and was pulled up here (21.5f, good) when last seen in April; hard to fancy.

20/1

Form: P64-0

Last run: 214 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Tailed off when 66-1 for handicap hurdle debut at Plumpton in May and struggled in low-grade Flat races afterwards.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

9

12th Jan 2024

Soft

1m 7f 50y

Class 5

14:30 Wincanton

Sous Surveillance

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Dominic Ffrench Davis

in touch with leaders, weakened before 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

66/1

10th

12

14th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

11:45 Taunton

Sous Surveillance

11st 2lb

J: Ben Ffrench Davis

T: Dominic Ffrench Davis

Tailed off when 66-1 for handicap hurdle debut at Plumpton in May and struggled in low-grade Flat races afterwards.

100/1

Form: 073P

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Pulled up when 66-1 for last month's handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m4f, heavy); combination of first-time blinkers and reduced emphasis on stamina may show him in a better light here, but he's not the most obvious one.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

6th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

19:12 Fontwell

No Mean Feat

10st 9lb

J: James Davies

T: Simon Hodgson

Remains a maiden and has been quiet in four runs after a long absence; no obvious significance in the return of cheekpieces.

20/1

6th

6

22nd Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

19:30 Taunton

No Mean Feat

10st 10lb

J: James Davies

T: Simon Hodgson

0-14 over hurdles and has shown little in three runs (2m-2m4f) since returning from a long absence; cheekpieces tried last time quickly dispensed with; plenty to prove.

12/1

4th

8

28th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

15:17 Stratford

No Mean Feat

10st 13lb

J: James Davies

T: Simon Hodgson

Remains winless and he's offered little after a 15-month absence in handicaps (up to 2m4f) at Fontwell and Newbury this winter; cheekpieces are reached for now.

33/1

Non-runners

Omaha Wish

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £67.60
Straight Forecast £54.40
Tricast £268.19
Trifecta £335.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Johnny Boom

SPOTLIGHT:

Karloss

D Express:

Dancing Harry

WEST COUNTRY:

King's Castle

LAMBOURN:

Phoenix Aquilus

Telegraph:

Karloss

Daily Mail:

Karloss

The Star:

Karloss

POSTDATA:

Johnny Boom

The Times:

Johnny Boom

The Guardian:

Johnny Boom

Daily Mirror:

Johnny Boom

The Sun:

Johnny Boom

Daily Record:

Johnny Boom