April 27 / 19.35 Taunton

19.35

Good

Charles Clark Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £6495.63
  • 2m 7f 3y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Charles Clark Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25

Form: 2-2631

Last run: 58 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Came good over fences at third attempt when dominating from the front in first-time blinkers at Catterick (3m1f, good) in February; up 9lb but he hit a clear personal best with that emphatic win and the form was boosted when the runner-up scored by 15l next time; leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

23rd May 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 2

16:10 Bangor-on-Dee

Lounge Lizard

10st 11lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah Humphrey

Four-time chase winner at up to 3m1f; well handicapped on his Huntingdon win for Henry Daly last March but he's struggled since including in two runs for new yard this spring; ran well to a point at Ludlow last time but he was on the retreat when he fell and others preferred.

40/1

5

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 171y

Class 3

15:57 Ludlow

Lounge Lizard

11st 5lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Sarah Humphrey

Potentially well treated on old form but signed off for Henry Daly with his own ideas about the game and he made a quiet start for this yard at Huntingdon after wind surgery; risky.

16/1

5th

1

1st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 3

14:45 Huntingdon

Lounge Lizard

12st 0lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Sarah Humphrey

Comes with some risk, having proved recalcitrant in sole start this term (left Henry Daly and had wind surgery since); otherwise interesting back at Huntingdon, with record of 2-2 over fences here comprising wins in this contest for the last two years.

8/1

Form: 432161 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
7yo who improved his chase record to 3-8 when forging clear in a C&D handicap (good to soft) two weeks ago; 8b higher on this step back up in grade but he still looks on a workable mark and has striking form figures of 24211 at Taunton; shortlisted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

19th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

15:05 Exeter

Imperial Joe

11st 10lb

J: Mr Jake Bament

T: Tim Dennis

in touch with leaders

10/1

1st

4

19th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

15:05 Exeter

Imperial Joe

11st 10lb

J: Mr Jake Bament

T: Tim Dennis

in touch with leaders

10/1

3rd

3

28th Nov 2024

Good To Soft

2m 2f 40y

Class 5

15:10 Taunton

Imperial Joe

11st 12lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Tim Dennis

All three chase wins have been over further, the last two here at 2m7f; below his best when last seen in June.

20/1

Form: 164112 CD BF

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Left it late to try staying trips but he won last month at Ffos Las (2m7f, good) and over C&D (heavy) before a creditable second over 3m at Exeter last time; this 10yo takes on some unexposed chasers here but he still looks feasibly treated and should be in the mix again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

25th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 4

16:20 Exeter

Haldon Hill

11st 7lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Victor Dartnall

Won two in a row (good/heavy) prior to finishing second in this last year (good to soft); he's 5lb lower than 12 months ago and is one to watch in the betting, but this 11yo has been tailed off/pulled up on his two runs this season and a major turnaround is required.

10/1

0

9

22nd Jan 2024

Frozen

3m 1f 100y

Class 4

15:40 Warwick

Haldon Hill

11st 9lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Victor Dartnall

Back-to-back wins at Ffos Las (3m, good) and Taunton (2m7f, heavy) last March and only 3lb higher than for the latest of those; however, he's an 11yo now and his reappearance was underwhelming even if that was over 2m4f.

9/1

Form: 61511P CD

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner who made a good start over fences when scoring over C&D (good to soft) in December and at Kempton (3m, good) in February; pulled up in her hat-trick bid at Fontwell but she had an excuse on heavy ground and it wouldn't be a surprise if she bounced back with a bold bid.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

5th Jun 2024

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 4

14:10 Newton Abbot

Love Actually

11st 3lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

Won back-to-back handicap chases (2m7f/3m) on right-handed tracks two winters ago and she may prefer going that way round; modest form of late in cheekpieces and now tries blinkers.

20/1

10

14th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

15:00 Southwell

Love Actually

11st 4lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

in touch with leaders

9/1

10

14th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

15:00 Southwell

Love Actually

11st 4lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

in touch with leaders

9/1

Form: P-1211 D

Last run: 227 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Bumper/hurdle winner who made it 3-4 over fences when keeping on well to land a Worcester handicap (2m7f, good to soft) in September; 5lb higher on his return but yard is in good form and he's open to more progress in this sphere; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

14th Jul 2024

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

14:30 Stratford

Aviewtosea

11st 9lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: David Killahena & Graeme McPherson

in touch with leaders, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground, rallied and headway before 2 out, pushed along when joined leader last, soon led, ridden and kept on run-in

12/1

8th

8

28th Jun 2024

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 4

17:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Aviewtosea

11st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: David Killahena & Graeme McPherson

Pulled up in his final two runs last year but he got back on track with fourth of ten on reappearance at Warwick (3m, good) last month; was only beaten around 5l in that race and has claims if he can build on that; cheekpieces reapplied.

8/1

4th

1

30th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

19:40 Warwick

Aviewtosea

12st 0lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: David Killahena & Graeme McPherson

Triple chase winner at up to 3m, all on good; well below par in all three starts since finishing a close third at Stratford last October; sliding in the handicap and now drops in grade, so can't rule out a revival.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: -51P34

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Made it second-time lucky over fences with an easy win at Hereford (3m1f, good to soft) in November but he's been disappointing in three runs since; has something to prove but he takes a big step back up in trip and is on a workable mark if he can get back near his best.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:57 Ludlow

Jet Plane

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Still in front when falling on his return to hunter chasing in January but ran miserably at Leicester next time where soft ground was no excuse; had been in good form in handicaps before those setbacks and would take some beating if back on song.

6/4

3rd

2

24th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 6f 151y

Class 3

16:50 Leicester

Jet Plane

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Good form in handicaps this winter includes a Leicester success; still in front when falling at Warwick returned to hunter chasing last time; retains all of his ability and is top on the figures in this field.

1/2

2

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:18 Warwick

Jet Plane

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Commendable second in last season's Aintree Foxhunters' (2m5f, good to soft) and as good as ever in recent 2m4f handicaps; stays 3m well and won't be fazed if the ground turns soft (unraced on heavy); ought to be hard to beat on return to hunter chasing.

6/5

Form: 436-1P

Last run: 77 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Very lightly raced 8yo; made a winning seasonal/chase debut at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in November but that was in a small-field event and he was pulled up at Ffos Las next time; blinkers are now tried and he comes with risks attached after another break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

28th May 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:25 Uttoxeter

Ballaquane

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Oliver Sherwood

Lightly raced 8yo who beat three rivals to make winning chase debut at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in November; only 2lb higher here but reappeared with lacklustre effort in February and it's hard to know what to expect from him after another break; cheekpieces refitted.

7/2

7

27th Apr 2023

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

19:35 Taunton

Ballaquane

11st 0lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Oliver Sherwood

Very lightly raced 8yo; made a winning seasonal/chase debut at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in November but that was in a small-field event and he was pulled up at Ffos Las next time; blinkers are now tried and he comes with risks attached after another break.

20/1

5

9th Feb 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

15:08 Ffos Las

Ballaquane

11st 10lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Oliver Sherwood

Very lightly raced 8yo who beat three rivals to make winning seasonal/chase debut at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in November; the bare form isn't anything to get excited about but he's only 2lb higher here and still has potential.

9/2

Non-runners

Aviewtosea, Jet Plane, Ballaquane

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.90
Straight Forecast £8.23
Trifecta £12.60

Selections

Daily Mail:

Imperial Joe

SPOTLIGHT:

Lounge Lizard

TOPSPEED:

Haldon Hill

The Times:

Jet Plane

WEST COUNTRY:

Aviewtosea

RP Ratings:

Lounge Lizard

Telegraph:

Lounge Lizard

D Express:

Imperial Joe

The Sun:

Imperial Joe

Daily Record:

Imperial Joe

Daily Mirror:

Jet Plane

The Star:

Aviewtosea

POSTDATA:

Haldon Hill

The Guardian:

Haldon Hill