April 11 / 14.08 Taunton

14.08

Soft

Royal Ascot Lunch Saturday 22nd June Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 2m 7f 198y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Royal Ascot Lunch Saturday 22nd June Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

25/1 (Won)

  • Win: £9.50
  • Place: £3.10

Form: 63U56-

Last run: 350 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Limited 12-race maiden; first time in a tongue-tie when she didn't run too badly over C&D when last seen a year ago (beaten 4l on soft), but she returns from an absence and is 9lb out of the weights; had wind surgery.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

24th Apr 2024

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

17:15 Taunton

Hazy Dream

11st 0lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Joe Tickle

Had looked limited until running away with a C&D handicap two weeks ago on the back of wind surgery (second run in a tongue-tie); that was after an absence of 350 days so this is a quick turnaround, but a 6lb rise should be manageable.

4/1

5th

8

24th Apr 2024

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

17:15 Taunton

Hazy Dream

11st 0lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Joe Tickle

Had looked limited until running away with a C&D handicap two weeks ago on the back of wind surgery (second run in a tongue-tie); that was after an absence of 350 days so this is a quick turnaround, but a 6lb rise should be manageable.

4/1

1st

7

11th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:08 Taunton

Hazy Dream

10st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Joe Tickle

prominent early, raced in last but in touch with leaders after 2nd, headway after 8th, led 2 out, kept on well, ridden out

25/1

OUR TIP

11/4

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 2-523P

Last run: 54 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Useful bumper form; has not yet matched that over hurdles, though did make the frame in two big-field maidens and unlikely that he gave his running on handicap debut at Wincanton (3m, heavy); remains of interest off this sort mark and blinkers are now fitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

5th Jun 2024

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 4

14:10 Newton Abbot

Pentire Head

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Has yet to get his head in front but placed in bumpers and hurdles (1m7f-3m) and fully entitled to make a better chaser, in keeping with so many from his yard; a good stamina test is probably what he needs.

11/4

3rd

6

15th May 2024

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Ffos Las

Pentire Head

11st 13lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Eight-race maiden but he's finished runner-up four times including in a 3m handicap at Taunton (soft; first-time blinkers) last month; took a strong hold in that race and he could find more progress on this drop back in trip; respected with tongue-tie added.

9/2

3rd

6

15th May 2024

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Ffos Las

Pentire Head

11st 13lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Eight-race maiden but he's finished runner-up four times including in a 3m handicap at Taunton (soft; first-time blinkers) last month; took a strong hold in that race and he could find more progress on this drop back in trip; respected with tongue-tie added.

9/2

Form: 6647

Last run: 110 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Best run yet when fourth in a Ffos Las maiden hurdle (2m4f, soft) in November and he made his handicap debut at Ascot, for which he was 28-1 and duly struggled (2m7f, good); these are probably more his conditions and better is expected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

19th Apr 2026

Good

3m 3f 119y

Class 5

15:43 Stratford

Illogical Logic

11st 2lb

J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight

T: Christian Williams

Landed his sole win off this mark at Newton Abbot (3m2f, good) last June but has been tailed off on his last two starts; would be considered if operating at his best but needs to sharpen up.

7/1

6th

3

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

17:20 Taunton

Illogical Logic

11st 2lb

J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight

T: Christian Williams

Just the one win in 22 starts but three decent runs when placed prior to a below par effort when tailed off at Plumpton (3m1f, good to soft) last month; his poor win record does not inspire.

6/1

4th

4

16th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 157y

Class 5

16:15 Plumpton

Illogical Logic

11st 6lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Back in form since pulling up twice earlier in the season, reaching the frame on his last three starts, most recently at Ffos Las (3m, heavy) in January when third of seven, beaten just under 6l; place claims off an unchanged mark.

13/2

10/1

Form: 52P-UP

Last run: 110 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Placed in a bumper/novice hurdle; failed to last long on chase debut and then was pulled up in a handicap hurdle at Ascot in which Illogical Logic ran seventh; had wind surgery since; still not fully exposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15

20th Sep 2025

Yielding

2m 5f 0y

16:55 Navan

Technology

10st 7lb

J: Ms E C Costello

T: John C McConnell

0-14 over hurdles but has run well at Wexford the last twice at 3m on good and good to yielding ground; has struggled in previous starts on softer than good so may need the forecast rain to miss.

6/1

2nd

3

8th Aug 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

18:03 Wexford

Technology

11st 5lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Maiden has run well recently without really threatening to get that breakthrough success; beaten over 8l when fourth at this venue on latest; now tried in a hood; yard won a division of this last year.

11/4

Form: 0-48P

Last run: 71 days

W: 11st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Promising fourth at Aintree (2m4f, good to soft) but was perhaps flattered off a steady pace and he's shown little since; goes handicapping with a good bit to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

1st Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

15:00 Ffos Las

Sparkling Duke

11st 13lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Kayley Woollacott

Inconsistent but made it 2-3 for this yard when winning comfortably in the reapplied cheekpieces over C&D a month ago; raised 7lb but faces similar conditions here and that could count for a lot.

11/4

1st

3

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

14:50 Ffos Las

Sparkling Duke

11st 13lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Kayley Woollacott

Broke off from hurdles career to win a maiden point in March; off the mark in this sphere as well here (2m4f, soft; six ran) in November, staying on steadily to lead on run-in, but needs to put a poor show at Exeter (2m7f) in December way behind him; cheekpieces (last used in February) return.

10/1

1st

2

19th Nov 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:45 Ffos Las

Sparkling Duke

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Kayley Woollacott

0-8 over hurdles and not seen under rules since below-par run in Plumpton handicap (2m4f, soft) in February; won a maiden point the following month, though, and the booking of Sean Bowen catches the eye today.

6/1

Form: 047

Last run: 74 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Tailed off in his three qualifying runs (2m-2m3f); positives to take from his pedigree and should show more now handicapping at this level.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

17th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:20 Fontwell

Nordic Storm

11st 1lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Not fully exposed after only eight runs but unplaced all seven hurdling starts before struggling on last month's chasing debut (bled from the nose); leap of faith is required to support him here.

12/1

7th

7

12th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 44y

Class 5

14:18 Hereford

Nordic Storm

10st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

prominent, lost position 4th, slow jump 5th, dropped to last 7th, reminders 10th, tailed off from 3 out (usual 4 out)

16/1

9th

10

18th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:05 Taunton

Nordic Storm

10st 9lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Joe Tizzard

Soundly beaten, including in two handicaps over 3m and another over 2m6f; had wind surgery since latest start, with a tongue-tie also now enlisted, and they need to work wonders.

16/1

Non-runners

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+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £19.70
Straight Forecast £18.96
Trifecta £71.50

Selections

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