April 09 / 15.40 Taunton

15.40

Good

Tony & Carole Stocker Anniversary Surprise mares’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4752.9
  • 2m 0f 104y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
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Tony & Carole Stocker Anniversary Surprise mares’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly sunny

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.70
  • Place: £2.00

Form: 283606

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
A fair maiden hurdler but she went too freely on her first go in handicaps when only sixth of eight at Hereford (2m) last month; tongue tie is added.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

19th Jun 2026

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

15:15 Market Rasen

Miracles Do Happen

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Billy Aprahamian

More tractable than often the case when obliging at Taunton in April (2m1f, good); signed off for Tom Lacey on a low note after, and mark still 5lb above that winning one has no wriggle room about it.

16/1

8th

3

19th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

19:00 Huntingdon

Miracles Do Happen

11st 13lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Safely held after racing too freely on handicap debut in March but displayed improvement to win at Taunton (2m, good; first-time tongue-tie) last month and could easily have more to offer; good chance.

9/4

1st

2

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Miracles Do Happen

11st 12lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

A fair maiden hurdler but she went too freely on her first go in handicaps when only sixth of eight at Hereford (2m) last month; tongue tie is added.

12/1

6/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 42-299

Last run: 154 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Fontwell runner-up on her hurdling debut last May but she's twice failed to build on it, hooded when ninth in 2m Newbury novice in November; needs this switch to handicaps to spark improvement after a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Just A Heartbeat

12st 0lb

J: Ciaran O’Shea

T: Harry Fry

Fontwell runner-up on her hurdling debut last May but she's twice failed to build on it, hooded when ninth in 2m Newbury novice in November; needs this switch to handicaps to spark improvement after a break.

6/1

OUR TIP

7/4

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 522371

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Quirky sort but she got off the mark in this sphere in 1m7f handicap at Wincanton 43 days ago, despite being reluctant at the start; up 4lb but she still merits serious consideration.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Little Venice

11st 9lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Quirky sort but she got off the mark in this sphere in 1m7f handicap at Wincanton 43 days ago, despite being reluctant at the start; up 4lb but she still merits serious consideration.

7/4

1st

6

25th Feb 2026

Soft

1m 7f 50y

Class 5

14:20 Wincanton

Little Venice

11st 1lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Went mighty close at Leicester (soft) in November despite pulling hard and her trainer blamed three fairly quick runs when she disappointed at Uttoxeter (also 2m, heavy) the following month; freshened up since and she can't be ruled out.

4/1

7

31st Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

15:40 Uttoxeter

Little Venice

11st 0lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Low-grade Flat winner; yet to be placed after five hurdling starts but kept on from the rear for very respectable fifth of 14 over C&D (good-first-time tongue-tie) this month; considered each-way.

8/1

Form: 573637

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
A fair 1m6f Flat winner but she's yet to match that form in this sphere and came in a below-par seventh in 2m3f handicap here 56 days ago; more is required.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

3rd Jul 2026

Good

2m 2f 110y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Ask Peter

10st 7lb

J: James Robottom

T: Anthony Honeyball

Three Flat wins in 2023; 0-10 over hurdles but was only reeled in late on under James Robottom here three weeks ago (2m1f, good); clear claims off 1lb higher.

2/1

2nd

3

12th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 167y

Class 5

18:25 Newton Abbot

Ask Peter

11st 8lb

J: James Robottom

T: Anthony Honeyball

Won three on the Flat in 2023 when trained by Charlie Johnston; 0-9 over hurdles and beaten around 40l at Taunton on her last two starts; this looks easier and she may show more.

11/4

Form: 5-687P

Last run: 39 days

W: 10st 8lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Only poor form shown thus far and she underwent breathing surgery before being pulled up on her yard debut in 2m Huntingdon maiden last month; handicap debutante.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

18:20 Stratford

For Love Of Beauty

10st 13lb

J: James Davies

T: Noel Williams

Has shown only poor form in four runs over hurdles, including when fifth of six finishers at Taunton (2m, good) last month on her handicap debut.

20/1

5th

9

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

For Love Of Beauty

10st 8lb

J: James Davies

T: Noel Williams

Only poor form shown thus far and she underwent breathing surgery before being pulled up on her yard debut in 2m Huntingdon maiden last month; handicap debutante.

14/1

6

1st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 171y

Class 4

14:15 Huntingdon

For Love Of Beauty

10st 12lb

J: James Davies

T: Noel Williams

Debuting for a new yard; needs improvement on the bumper/hurdles form she showed for the Killahena/McPherson stable.

100/1

Form: -439P7

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Fair form shown in bumpers and when third on her hurdling debut at Warwick (2m) in October; has failed to go on though and she was tried in a hood when beating only one on her handicap debut at Wetherby (2m) last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Night Burlesque

11st 2lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Mel Rowley

Fair form shown in bumpers and when third on her hurdling debut at Warwick (2m) in October; has failed to go on though and she was tried in a hood when beating only one on her handicap debut at Wetherby (2m) last time.

33/1

7th

3

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Wetherby

Night Burlesque

11st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Mel Rowley

She's not obviously well treated off her opening mark but her in-form trainer has found her a weak race for handicap debut and it's possible the first-time hood will prompt some improvement; market check advised.

12/1

Form: 31-125 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Filly

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Bagged a pair of handicaps (around 2m) at Fontwell and Market Rasen last spring; lightly raced since but not discredited given she was set plenty to do when fifth of nine at Huntingdon (2m) 29 days ago; considered off a 2lb lower mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Bluenose Belle

11st 4lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Richard Phillips

Bagged a pair of handicaps (around 2m) at Fontwell and Market Rasen last spring; lightly raced since but not discredited given she was set plenty to do when fifth of nine at Huntingdon (2m) 29 days ago; considered off a 2lb lower mark.

6/1

5th

8

11th Mar 2026

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:38 Huntingdon

Bluenose Belle

11st 2lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Richard Phillips

Dual winner for Finn Lambert last spring, latterly off a 7lb lower mark; fair second on her comeback last November before well held on the AW early last month; drying weather definitely in her favour.

10/1

9th

6

(4)

2nd Feb 2026

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 6

17:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Bluenose Belle

10st 11lb

J: Mr Simon Walker

T: Richard Phillips

Dual AW winner (1m2f/1m3f), who scored twice over hurdles last spring and was runner-up on her Ludlow reappearance (2m, good) in November; now returns to the Flat but she's on a workable mark and her first win was on Tapeta; possibilities with Simon Walker booked.

5/1

Form: 527246

Last run: 169 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Still a maiden and she went in snatches when a fair sixth of 14 in 2m Worcester handicap in October; returns from a break in a refitted hood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

17th Jun 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

17:10 Worcester

Aquifolia

10st 12lb

J: Harriet Tucker

T: Neil Mulholland

Just a respectable fourth of six over C&D (good) last month, her second run after a break, and now 0-9 over hurdles but has dropped another 2lb since and enters each-way calculations.

7/1

4th

4

22nd May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

20:41 Worcester

Aquifolia

11st 6lb

J: Harriet Tucker

T: Neil Mulholland

0-17 under rules and was brought down early on at Taunton (2m, good) last month; has been placed a couple of times but is hard to fancy.

13/2

5

9th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:40 Taunton

Aquifolia

11st 4lb

J: Harriet Tucker

T: Neil Mulholland

Still a maiden and she went in snatches when a fair sixth of 14 in 2m Worcester handicap in October; returns from a break in a refitted hood.

7/1

Non-runners

Dance Havana

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £28.50
Straight Forecast £30.70
Tricast £94.96
Trifecta £99.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Little Venice

POSTDATA:

Miracles Do Happen

RP RATINGS:

Just A Heartbeat

The Sun:

Aquifolia

Daily Mail:

Dance Havana

Telegraph:

Bluenose Belle

The Times:

Miracles Do Happen

The Guardian:

Little Venice

D Express:

Little Venice

Daily Mirror:

Little Venice

The Star:

Little Venice

Daily Record:

Little Venice