We raced last Saturday with a bumper crowd enjoying the thrilling 7 race card, writes Martin Higgs.

There was plenty of local success with Paul Nicholls training 3 winners in Swift Hawk, Centara and Individualiste (pictured), the latter was ridden by Freddie Gingell who is enjoying an excellent season.

Success was kept within the family as Freddie’s uncle, Joe Tizzard, trained Pedley Wood to win one of the chases.

The feature race of the afternoon was the Listed Byerley Stud Mares’ Hurdle and was won in commanding fashion by the Harry Derham trained Queens Gamble, she could well be Cheltenham bound. Jane Williams then rounded off an excellent afternoon for the West Country with Moka De Vassy winning under David Noonan.

We follow up quickly on Monday with a six race card scheduled to start at 12:55. There are 157 entries across the afternoon with the Blackdown Motor Company Maiden Hurdle attracting 49 entries, these include the Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson trained French imports Tutti Quanti and Joyeuse, who cost 235,000 euros in November 2022.

Other significant entries include the afore-mentioned Individualiste in the 2:25 who could easily follow up and Selkirk Grace also looks interesting for trainer Hughie Morrison in the last on handicap debut.

It’s sure to be an excellent afternoon’s entertainment and you can purchase ‘two for one’ tickets on our website www.tauntonracecourse.co.uk or pay on the gate.  

For those of you looking to use our courtesy coach service, it will depart from outside platform 5 of Taunton Railway Station 90 minutes before the first race time and return from the course 30 minutes after the start of the last.

Let’s also look forward to the weekend and we’ll head to Sandown.  At 3:30 it’s the Veterans’ Chase Final and David Pipe will have Ramses De Tellee tuned to the minute, he was runner-up in the race last year and at the current 10/1 he is great each way value - get 4 places if you can. In the following race Paul Nicholls has Sans Bruit entered, it will be the horse’s first run for the trainer and he will love the expected heavy ground. 

That’s 2 for the price of 1 then, the same as our admission offer for our meeting on Monday, apply on the website and you have until midday on Sunday to secure your tickets…