Tag Archive for: Taunton

Rhino on the charge at Southwell

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It would be no surprise if White Rhino delivered a knockout blow in the Download The Rhino.Bet App Handicap Hurdle at Southwell.

Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s seven-year-old has improved significantly for a step up in trip, winning his last two, and could prove still ahead of the handicapper despite a 15lb rise for a facile success at Wetherby last time.

Before that he registered a six-length success over track and trip and there is plenty to point to a bold hat-trick bid on his return to the Nottinghamshire venue.

Henry Oliver’s Coastguard Station could answer an SOS from punters earlier on the card in the Follow Us On Twitter @betrhino Handicap Chase.

A seven-length winner at Doncaster on his penultimate start, he bumped into the highly-progressive Haddex Des Obeaux when returning to Town Moor over the Christmas period.

With that rival now rated 146, Coastguard Station looks a more than tempting proposition here off 120 despite the burden of top weight.

This speedy circuit should suit and he could be still on the upgrade.

Ali Star Bert is another who could notch up a three-timer in the opening Daily Charged Up Offers At Rhino.Bet Handicap Chase, while Presenting Belle is of real interest in the Rhino.Bet Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Lucy Wadham’s six-year-old thrived following wind surgery at Huntingdon last time when chasing home a well-regarded winner.

Although no match for Blue Beach, the front two were a distance clear of the rest and a repeat of that form would make her tough to beat.

Ioupy Collonges can keep up his good run of form for Paul Nicholls in the Melanie And Philip Gibbs RNLI “Hands And Heels” Handicap Hurdle at Taunton.

A 60,000 guineas recruit after placing in two point to points, Ioupy Collonges has two wins in three starts to his credit, triumphing in bumper company at the first attempt before coming home a 10-length winner on his second hurdles start last month.

An hurdles introduction yielded a satisfactory second and it clearly stood him in good stead at Chepstow as he made all for a cosy win.

Libberty Hunter takes the eye in the Jackson-Stops Country House Handicap Hurdle.

He got off the mark over hurdles at Chepstow in January and Evan Williams has wasted no time in switching to handicap company, with his initial mark of 124 leaving him something to work with.

In the concluding Royal National Lifeboat Institution Open National Hunt Flat Race, Duhallow Tommy could have the class to concede weight to his rivals.

Placed behind the likes of Twinjets and Cheltenham Bumper third Captain Teague in his early outings under rules, he got off the mark at Fontwell in January.

The second did not let the form down when again a silver medallist next time and Duhallow Tommy appears to be getting better with each and every outing.

SELECTIONS:

NAVAN: 1.50 Fameaftertheglory, 2.20 Carbon King, 2.55 Landrake, 3.25 Velvet Elvis, 3.55 Slip Of The Tongue, 4.25 Pats Choice, 4.55 Did I Ask You That.

SOUTHWELL: 2.00 Ali Star Bert, 2.35 Coastguard Station, 3.05 Sanda Rena, 3.35 WHITE RHINO (NAP), 4.05 Presenting Belle, 4.35 Get Up Mush, 5.05 My Ticketyboo.

TAUNTON: 1.40 Ioupy Collonges, 2.10 Smart Casual, 2.45 She’s So Lovely, 3.15 New Age Dawning, 3.45 Libberty Hunter, 4.15 Auditoria, 4.45 Duhallow Tommy.

DOUBLE: White Rhino and Coastguard Station.

Haydock hoping Saturday card can beat the freeze

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Officials at Haydock have not yet given up hope Saturday’s high-profile fixture will beat the cold snap, with the track deemed raceable on Friday ahead of a planned precautionary inspection at 8am on raceday.

Ascot’s Clarence House Chase card was called off on Thursday and Haydock’s meeting looked to be heading the same way after snow fell on frozen ground on Wednesday night.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright admitted things were “not looking as good as they were” and announced an inspection for noon on Friday.

However, with the snow having cleared, Tellwright was in a more optimistic mood on Friday morning, and therefore cancelled Friday’s inspection and instead called a precautionary check for Saturday.

The Merseyside venue is due to stage four Grade Two events, including The New One Unibet Hurdle and Peter Marsh Chase.

Tellwright said: “We’ve had a good night and we’re in a better place than we expected to be, but in the context of the forecast we’ve put a precautionary in for tomorrow morning.

“The snow on the track has gone and we’re fit to race this morning, so it entirely hinges on the scale of any frost tonight.

“We’re forecast temperatures of between just below zero and minus 2C, which is the difference between success and failure.”

Taunton will inspect at 4pm on Friday
Taunton has been abandoned (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

If Haydock does get the green light, it will be the sole jumps meeting in Britain on Saturday after Taunton’s fixture was abandoned on Friday afternoon.

A precautionary check was initially called for 8am on raceday, but deteriorating conditions prompted a change of plans and the inspection was brought forward to 4pm on Friday.

However, with the course still unraceable and no prospect of sufficient improvement, the fixture was called off shortly after 3pm.

Sunday’s meeting at Fakenham has also been called off due to a frozen track following a 2pm inspection on Friday. Officials were due to check the course on Saturday but brought forward that look as conditions were not improving.

Paul Nicholls brings up another century with help of Taunton four-timer

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Paul Nicholls broke through the century mark for the season as the champion trainer and Harry Cobden teamed up for a Monday four-timer at Taunton.

The Ditcheat handler began the afternoon on 97 winners for the campaign and sent a strong team of five runners across Somerset.

He was double-handed in the Broadway & Horton Cricket Club Novices’ Hurdle, with punters unable to split stablemates Iliko D’Olivate and Pleasant Man, who were the 6-4 joint-favourites.

Pleasant Man ran with credit in defeat to finish third, but Iliko D’Olivate was an authoritative six-length winner under Cobden, with Syd Hosie’s Way Out best of the rest in second.

Nicholls and Cobden swiftly doubled up with Cap Du Mathan (6-4) in the Summerfield Developments Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase before 2-5 shot Rare Middleton brought up the trainer’s century with victory in the first division of the Invest Southwest Maiden Hurdle.

The latter won on the Flat at Leopardstown in October before changing hands for 215,000 guineas and looks an exciting addition to the hurdling ranks.

“He’s a very smart horse and there’s loads more to come from him,” Nicholls told Racing TV.

“He only started schooling six weeks ago and I don’t like running them that soon, but he’d been outside on the grass luckily enough twice and he’s going to learn so much from jumping.

“I was concerned first time on this ground about whether he’d get the trip and everything else, but he’s a nice horse and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him.”

Nicholls did not have to wait long for winner 101, with Afadil comfortably justifying odds of 8-15 in division two.

The son of Camelot gave his supporters a fright by almost refusing at the first flight, but ultimately won comfortably by two lengths, seeing Paddy Power cut his Triumph Hurdle odds to 16-1 from 33-1.

“I’m very happy with everything – the way the horses are looking, the way they’re running and the way Harry is riding. Everybody is working hard at home, it’s fantastic,” Nicholls added.

Cobden said: “I think they were all very well placed and it’s nice when you’ve got some good, young stock coming through.

“All three of the novices are nice horses. The first one (Iliko D’Olivate) is going to want plenty of time, Rare Middleton is green but knows his job and jumps well and felt like a nice horse and so did the last one. He handled the ground well and apart from a little scare at the first, he jumped well and was very straightforward after that.

“When you’re riding for someone like Paul Nicholls, the job is a lot easier because if something goes wrong you’ve got the next one to put it right.

“I’m sure it would be a lot harder riding for someone else who doesn’t have the same strike-rate.”

Nicky Martin ends big week with 200-1 surprise at Taunton

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Just three days after winning the Welsh National with The Two Amigos, trainer Nicky Martin was celebrating again when the 200-1 chance Inspiratrice ran out victorious at Taunton.

Heading into Christmas Martin had only trained two winners this season, but she will not be forgetting this festive period in a hurry.

With her stable stalwart providing her with the biggest success of her career at Chepstow on Tuesday, Inspiratrice and Sean Bowen were surprisingly friendless in the market.

The three-year-old filly had shown precious little in two previous starts but dropped right out by Bowen, she steadily moved into contention before pulling clear of Fourofakind to win the Alne Park Stud Juvenile Hurdle by four and a half lengths.

When asked if she thought Inspiratrice would win, Martin replied: “In a word, no.

“It was her third run and while I like her, I didn’t think she was good enough.

“But she enjoyed the ground and because they went a decent pace it suited her as she’s quite gassy. Sean was able to just drop her in and let it all unfold.

“The last twice she’s run there’s been no pace and she’s burnt out, but she got into a nice rhythm today and won comfortably.”

Martin was not on course at Chepstow having been hit by a bad dose of flu, but said: “I’m at Taunton today, this has been my first venture out!”

Astapor was a 200-1 winner at Hamilton in June. The longest-priced winner in history is Equinoctial who won at Kelso in 1990 at 250-1.

Elsewhere on the card, Harry Fry’s Credrojava (4-1) maintained her unbeaten record when gamely landing the Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, running down Dan Skelton’s odds-on favourite She’s A Saint after the last.