February 29 / 14.40 Taunton

14.40

Soft

West Buckland Primary Racing To School Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle (Div II)

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 2m 3f 1y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
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West Buckland Primary Racing To School Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle (Div II)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.34
  • Place: £2.20

Form: 606

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 7lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Wide-margin 2m Flat winner in France last April; has not achieved much in three hurdle runs for new yard (with and without a tongue-tie) but new trip and ordinary handicaps will surely offer more scope.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

10th Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Johannes

10st 10lb

J: Ben Bromley

T: David Pipe

Made a winning handicap debut at Taunton (about 2m3f, soft) 13 months ago but the wheels have come off on a variety of ground since, pulled up in four of those five starts and tailed off in the other; blinkers (one sibling wore them for her two wins) are now given a go, replacing recent cheekpieces.

14/1

4

10th Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Johannes

10st 10lb

J: Ben Bromley

T: David Pipe

led, clear after 2nd, reduced lead when slow jump and headed 3rd

14/1

15

21st Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

16:30 Exeter

Johannes

10st 9lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

towards rear, not fluent 4th

33/1

16/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 50-6

Last run: 290 days

W: 10st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Nothing noteworthy in three hurdles at up to 2m4f, most recently last May; early days yet but he has a low mark now switched to a handicap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

1st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

13:47 Market Rasen

Try The Money

10st 10lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Henry Oliver

0-8 over fences and 0-16 overall but went close on seasonal debut at Ffos Las (3m, soft) in November and bumped into a big improver when well-held second at Uttoxeter (3m, heavy) in December; this right-handed track may not be ideal (jumped left at Taunton last season) but, otherwise, his claims are pretty solid; cheekpieces removed after one use.

4/1

8

19th Nov 2025

Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

13:35 Ffos Las

Try The Money

10st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Henry Oliver

0-6 over fences but was placed twice over C&D towards end of last season, latterly when staying on for clear second behind an improver (soft ground); contender if in same form again after seven-month absence.

4/1

2nd

11

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

19:15 Ffos Las

Try The Money

10st 3lb

J: David Noonan

T: Henry Oliver

11-race maiden with inconsistent overall form but his three completions at Ffos Las (3m in the mud on last two occasions) were among his best ratings; fell back here on latest outing; needs to find a bit extra to get off the mark but he's considered each-way.

9/1

Form: 6-447P

Last run: 183 days

W: 10st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Comes into it on his best 2m4f handicap form (good) but he missed an intended race on soft last spring and he didn't have a great experience on his chase debut when last seen in August.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

28th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 0f 26y

Class 5

17:05 Wetherby

Champagne Gift

10st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: D J Jeffreys

8yo who is an eight-race maiden and has a patchy profile; however, he's shown the odd sign of promise and could improve for last month's return from a break; not ruled out each-way in first-time blinkers.

12/1

3rd

5

29th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

14:40 Taunton

Champagne Gift

10st 11lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: D J Jeffreys

pressed leader, not fluent 1st, not fluent 4th, briefly disputed lead 4 out, outpaced after 3 out, no match for first two

10/1

0

7

30th Aug 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

17:15 Uttoxeter

Champagne Gift

10st 7lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: D J Jeffreys

Maiden; close fourth over hurdles at Worcester (2m4f) last month but not as good at Perth latest; stamina to prove at this trip on chasing debut but possibly worth a market glance.

12/1

Form: 43

Last run: 189 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Flat wins at 1m1f (good to soft) and 1m6f (good to firm) for Alice Haynes and showed enough in two hurdle runs to make her of interest now switched to a handicap for new yard, having been bought for 6,500gns.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

11

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:15 Taunton

Dance Havana

10st 4lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Grace Harris

Flat wins in 2022 and 2023; has had only four races over hurdles but soundly beaten in two soft-ground handicaps when last seen early in 2024.

20/1

33/1

Form: P-4996

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Wasn't beaten far in a 2m1f Newton Abbot novice last May but he's been well beaten in two handicap hurdles (2m and 2m3f) and fitting a tongue-tie needs to make a lot of difference.
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: 562

Last run: 140 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Two 1m4f wins for the Charlton yard (best RPR 83), including on good to soft; not an instant hit over hurdles relative to his Flat form but he has shown promise and his handicap mark is lowly; likely contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

2nd Jul 2024

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

18:10 Stratford

Amalfi Bay

11st 6lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

midfield, towards rear with one circuit to go, headway when not fluent 2 out

4/1

4th

6

12th Jun 2024

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

16:43 Fontwell

Amalfi Bay

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Fair Flat performer (stayed at least 1m6f); promise in maiden/novice hurdles last year and possibly found soft ground against him when pulled up on handicap hurdle debut; back on track when returned to a better surface with a close second at Stratford (2m3f, good) last month; shouldn't be far away off a small rise.

2/1

2nd

5

9th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

19:50 Stratford

Amalfi Bay

11st 1lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Useful on the Flat for the Charltons; promise in maiden/novice hurdles last year and perhaps found soft ground against him when pulled up on handicap hurdle debut ten weeks ago; may fare better returned to drying ground.

7/2

Form: /068-7

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Early promise in a Sedgefield bumper and while he hasn't shone over hurdles so far he probably needed his handicap debut at Hereford (2m3f, soft) after one year off; clearly needs a big step up though.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

14

24th Oct 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 125y

14:28 Clonmel

Tik Tok

10st 10lb

J: Miss P Elvin

T: P J Rothwell

Early promise in a Sedgefield bumper when trained by Christian Williams and while he hasn't shone over hurdles so far, he's worth a market check on first start for Philip Rothwell.

20/1

4

29th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

14:40 Taunton

Tik Tok

11st 2lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Christian Williams

held up in rear, mistake 4 out, mistake and struggling 3 out

10/1

7th

9

14th Feb 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

17:07 Hereford

Tik Tok

10st 7lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Soundly beaten in three 2m novice hurdles last season and makes handicap debut after a one-year absence but remains very unexposed and market support will make him of interest.

10/1

Non-runners

Konigin Isabella, Double Powerful

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £13.60
Straight Forecast £11.86
Tricast £66.08
Trifecta £63.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Amalfi Bay

Daily Mail:

Johannes

RP RATINGS:

Dance Havana

The Star:

Double Powerful

The Sun:

Johannes

The Guardian:

Dance Havana

POSTDATA:

Amalfi Bay

WEST COUNTRY:

Amalfi Bay

The Times:

Amalfi Bay

Telegraph:

Amalfi Bay

D Express:

Amalfi Bay

Daily Mirror:

Amalfi Bay

Daily Record:

Amalfi Bay