December 30 / 16.00 Taunton

16.00

Good To Soft

2 For 1 Tickets On 8th Jan Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap Hurdle (Excellence Series)

  • Prize money: £5545.05
  • 2m 3f 1y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
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2 For 1 Tickets On 8th Jan Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap Hurdle (Excellence Series)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 120-32

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner who was placed on his first two hurdling starts; lost out only by a short head at Hereford (2m3f, good to soft) on latter occasion and should have further improvement to come in handicaps.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

13th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 214y

Class 3

17:42 Uttoxeter

Tom Doniphon

10st 8lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Won twice over hurdles at Taunton over 2m3f for previous yard; after a promising chase debut at Aintree in October he took a backward step at Exeter the following month; returns from a seven-month break with new trainer but may need to go back up in trip to find a winning opportunity.

7/1

4th

3

26th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 176y

Class 3

13:15 Aintree

Tom Doniphon

11st 0lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Low-mileage 6yo who came good over hurdles with two 2m3f wins at Taunton (good to soft/soft) last winter; absent since 2m4f second at Sandown in February but should cope with the drop back in trip on this chasing debut and has some Irish pointing experience to call upon.

7/2

1

13th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 173y

Class 4

16:45 Sandown

Tom Doniphon

12st 0lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Won readily on handicap debut at Taunton (2m3f, good to soft) and again had something to spare there (2m3f, soft) nine days later, when unpenalised; hit with 8lb rise but this unexposed 6yo could still be well treated.

2/1

7/1

  • Place: £1.50

Form: P-5333

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
0-7 over hurdles but ran well when third in three consecutive handicaps in the autumn (1m7f-2m) and is worth another crack at this sort of trip; probably won't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

16th Jun 2026

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 4

16:30 Stratford

Two To Tango

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Emma Lavelle

In the frame all six starts since switch to chasing in the autumn, including course win (2m3f, good) in first-time cheekpieces in March; ran big race when second (albeit well held in the end) over 2m5f here last month; strong claims if stamina holds out over this longer trip.

7/4

2nd

3

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:20 Stratford

Two To Tango

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Emma Lavelle

After being placed 12 times he gained an overdue success around here (2m3f, good) in March; let down by his jumping at Warwick since but looks sure to be thereabouts.

7/4

3rd

2

23rd Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

17:02 Warwick

Two To Tango

11st 13lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Emma Lavelle

Mostly consistent in defeat over hurdles and the same again over fences until digging the deepest under a positive ride at Stratford (2m3f, good; first-time cheekpieces); must have every chance off 4lb higher.

4/1

2/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: -40111 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Resurgent 9yo who is 3-3 since a wind op in September, the most recent win gained at Huntingdon (2m4f, soft) three weeks ago; latest 6lb rise does not look excessive; commands respect in current mood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

9

6th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:42 Fontwell

Bread And Butter

10st 11lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Cynthia Woods

Veteran who has been out of sorts for a while now and he's looking sharply regressive.

14/1

5th

8

24th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

19:50 Fontwell

Bread And Butter

11st 3lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Cynthia Woods

Five-time hurdle winner (2m3f-2m5f) but his last success was 16 months ago and this veteran has been out of sorts in his last four runs; opposable.

40/1

8th

5

1st Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 179y

Class 5

16:50 Wincanton

Bread And Butter

11st 6lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Cynthia Woods

Five-time hurdle winner (2m3f-2m5f) but his last success was 16 months ago and this veteran has been out of sorts in his last three runs; opposable.

25/1

Form: -46921 C

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Looked back in peak form when winning readily for Gearoid Harney at Wincanton (1m7f, good to soft) this month; should be fine over today's longer trip but recent 5lb rise might be enough to leave him vulnerable to some of the unexposed ones.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

16th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 53y

Class 4

19:00 Hereford

Phoenix Risen

11st 2lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Jeremy Scott

Fine on all ground; in a good run of form since the blinkers went on four starts back and this might not be quite so demanding as the Exeter race he contested last time; in the mix.

7/1

5th

9

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 161y

Class 4

15:10 Exeter

Phoenix Risen

11st 2lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Jeremy Scott

Only blinkered this season and the aids are working well, registering a fourth hurdle win under a positive ride at Wincanton (2m, heavy); 5lb rise sees him on a career-high mark but he has to be considered; good to soft is fine.

5/1

1st

5

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

15:15 Taunton

Phoenix Risen

10st 11lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Jeremy Scott

Two good runs in blinkers this season, latterly when clear second of 13 at Wincanton (1m7f, soft; unraced on heavy) in December; nudged back up to his career-high mark since but still commands respect.

5/2

Form: 7272-5

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on two of her three hurdling starts last season (2m5f/2m3f) and shaped quite well when fifth in Wincanton novice (2m5f, soft) on recent reappearance outing; open to improvement in handicaps; no surprise if she features.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

7

1st Jul 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

13:20 Worcester

Bettys Tiara

11st 6lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Bumper winner on debut in 2023; finally off the mark over hurdles (2m7f, good) last September but she's run to an ordinary level back in handicaps on last two starts and goes chasing with something to prove.

13/2

7th

6

22nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

19:41 Worcester

Bettys Tiara

11st 11lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Looked promising when winning a bumper on her debut in August 2023 but it took her an age to get going over hurdles, eventually winning a Uttoxeter maiden last September; hasn't gone on from that in three subsequent runs and returns following a break.

14/1

Form: 24-36U CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
3-17 over hurdles (including C&D win); on a good mark now and will be suited by the return to this C&D but has not been at his best on any of his three outings this season and was pulled up the only previous time he wore cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

15th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

18:10 Fontwell

Stanley Pincombe

11st 4lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Placed off 13lb higher over C&D (good to soft) on seasonal debut in September but ended 2024 with some lesser efforts and he was tailed off after a 102-day break here last month; first-time visor swiftly ditched.

12/1

5

15th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

18:10 Fontwell

Stanley Pincombe

11st 4lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Placed off 13lb higher over C&D (good to soft) on seasonal debut in September but ended 2024 with some lesser efforts and he was tailed off after a 102-day break here last month; first-time visor swiftly ditched.

12/1

7th

3

11th Apr 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

14:50 Fontwell

Stanley Pincombe

11st 11lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: -U1323

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Made the frame in all three handicaps (2m-2m5f) since winning Uttoxeter maiden (2m, good) in June; probably still on a workable mark and can make his presence felt again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

Form: /22-80 C

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Gained all three hurdling wins during 11-day spell in April 2022; lurks on a dangerous mark but has looked out of sorts since returning from a break in October (three runs).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

(6)

11th Feb 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 4

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Kolisi

9st 4lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

always behind

33/1

6th

4

(6)

11th Feb 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 4

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Kolisi

9st 4lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

always behind

33/1

9th

10

4th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

16:40 Taunton

Kolisi

10st 7lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

in touch with leaders, outpaced and lost position after 2 out (usual 3 out)

25/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.60
Straight Forecast £9.94
Tricast £37.13
Trifecta £61.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Bread And Butter

The Times:

Baskerville

WEST COUNTRY:

Tom Doniphon

RP RATINGS:

Two To Tango

Telegraph:

Betty's Tiara

The Star:

Phoenix Risen

The Guardian:

Baskerville

Daily Mirror:

Baskerville

D Express:

Tom Doniphon

Daily Record:

Tom Doniphon

POSTDATA:

Two To Tango

TOPSPEED:

Bread And Butter

Daily Mail:

Bread And Butter

The Sun:

Bread And Butter