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

5th

4

23rd Jun 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

20:50 Newton Abbot

Illogical Logic

11st 5lb

J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight

T: Christian Williams

Ended last season with three poor runs but is now 3lb lower than when making all over C&D (good) in cheekpieces just over a year ago and might be boosted by the returning headgear.

12/1

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

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

12th

14

10th Jul 2026

Good

3m 0f 180y

20:17 Kilbeggan

Technology

10st 12lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

17-race maiden over hurdles; best form at Wexford; fell at fifth in the race won by Knocknagoran Lady at Limerick last week.

20/1

5

2nd Jul 2026

Good

2m 6f 120y

19:33 Limerick

Technology

10st 12lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

16-race maiden over hurdles; best form has been at Wexford; makes seasonal return after heavy defeats at Navan and Tipperary when last seen.

33/1

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

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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