16:32 That’s it from a damp Taunton, tomorrow we are at Newcastle – until then good afternoon.
16:20 A postscript to our 2:10 race and the run of Finnigans Rainbow. It seems the stewards were unimpressed with the ride of claimer Paul Callaghan and he has been handed a 14 day ban for not giving the hoses the best chance to win.
16:16 The concluding bumper produced the best finish of the afternoon with a three way go for the line.
In the end Megabill, got the better of Ironical and Tara Taylor
15:53 Our longest race of the afternoon was a 3 mile 1 furlong chase. The Venetian from Vic Dartnall’s yard opened the favourite but drifted, allowing Iris’s Prince to go off favourite.
Theywent off a fair lick bearing in mind the going and diatance and after some early shuffling Celtic Son took them along as they began the second circuit.
He led the filed until four out, at which point it became a three horse race with Mighty Moose, Iris’s Prince and Flight Command all in contention.
Approaching three out any one of the three were in with a shout but Mighty Moose stumbled on landing and lost all chance.
Approaching the last the smart money was on the favourite but Flight Command put in the better jump to take the lead and claim a 3¼ length victory with Mighty Moose 26 lengths further back.
15:17 Our final hurdle race of the afternoon went to a strong finisher, in the shape of bottom weight Triple Bluff . Settled towards the rear 5lb claimer Harry Skelton bought him through the field, challenging for second place at the second last and running on to take the lead approaching the last.
Another running on horse, Nothing Is Forever took the runners-up spot with Kerrys Girl taking third.
14:56 After his blistering final stages run the stewards are takinbg a look at Finnegan’s Rainbows run in the previous race.
14:53 It has to be said race four wasn’t the highest quality race ever to be run at Taunton and according to the betting it was a two horse race.
Thundering Star, making his debut over obstacles – but a decent performer on the flat, was the 11/10 favourite with Hot Diamond the reasonably well backed second favourite at 11/8.
The somewhat headstrong Mceldowney set the pace to fade starting the second circuit. Down the back straight the field were pretty well bunched.
Turning for home it looked a two horse race as they by-passed what should have been the second last and for a moment it looked as though Hot Diamond may turn over the favourite. However the favourite has plenty of class and when asked for an effort by Sam Thomas he ran on well to claim a 4½ length victory. Right Option ran on to take third.
14:20 The opening chase was an incident packed event despite only having eight go to post, with two non-runners.
It was another tight betting heat with Mount Cook and So Brash sent off the well backed 7/2 joint favourites.
It was Kinkeel who set the pace under Maddie Batchelor and a reasonable pace it was as well.
On the first circuit, at the first in the home straight Mr Parson and Park Lodge both fell independently.
As they passed the post with a circuit to go the field were well bunched, apart from Finnegan’s Rainbow who was a good ten lengths behind the remainder.
Kinkeel retained the lead until the last in the back straight, where he was joined than passed by Mount Cook. Compton Star tried to stay with the new leader but a mistake three out put paid to any chance of victory.
Indeed the further they went the further Mount Cook pulled away, so far ahead the official eight length margin of victory is meaningless as he was slowed to a walk in the final half furlong.
Compton Star took second and Killing Me Softly third, with the earlier tailed off Finnegans Rainbow ran on like a horse possessed to take fourth.
13:49 A 2m 1f selling handicap hurdle for our second race and a very interesting betting heat.
Sun Bian was the most eye catching in the market being backed in from 12/1 to 6/1.
The two top weights Muree Queen and Posh Emily were also well supported, whilst the favourite, Leprechaun’s Gold was slightly uneasy.
The race itself was no less interesting and it looks as though the ground is having a big say in
events as the front runners were noticeably tiring in the closing stages.
Itstooearly and Bethebestyoucanbe set the pace and both were in with a shout approaching the second last, along with the favourite and it looked like a three way go with the favourite looking the better of the three.
However as I said they began to tire and, at the same time, Posh Emily was launched with a run by Christian Williams and he passed his leading rivals and looked to be an easy winner.
However Bethebestyoucanbe was nothing but brave and ran on in the final half furlong going down by a neck.
The favourite was ten lengths further back in third. Sun Bian was pulled up.
In the subsequent auction there were no bids for the winner.
13:18 An amateur riders race to get Taunton’s 2008/2009 season underway and it saw two riders Verity Dunster and Cl;are Twemlow making their debuts but it wasn’t to be a fairytale result for either of them, although Miss Twemlow did manage a credible fourth place.
The field set off at a reasonable pace bearing in mind the conditions and it was the strong pulling Kavi who took them along before weakening four from home.
Trevian was another runner taking a strong hold and attempting to pull his jockeys arms out, he was actually leading approaching two out but his earlier exertions were later paid for.
Approaching the last it became a duel between Oenologue and the favourite Mickmacmagoole. The favourite had been held up early on but began to make progress through the field down the back straight. As the pair approached the last the favourite looked to be the fresher of the two and with a brilliant jump at the last the race was over with the favourite recording a 2¼ lengthy victory over Oenologue with Trevian a further seven lengths back in third.
12:39 Good afternoon from Taunton where the weather is not very nice at all. It has been raining for a few hours and shows little sign of easing.
The official going is Good to Soft, but do not be surprised if that eases during the afternoon.
Five non-runners so far, details on the right.
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Non-Runners
1:10
7 Petrus De Sormain (lame - SC)
2:40|
13 Neat 'n' Tidy (going)
2:10
6 Keyneema (poor blood - VC)
9 Faraday (going)
2:40
2 Full Victory (infection - VC)
6 Obrigado (lame - SC)
4:10
12 Follow The Dream (poor blood - VC)
Results
1:10
1st 1 Mickmacmagoole 15/8 fav
2nd 8 Oenologue 8/1
3rd 5 Trevian 15/2
13 Ran NR 7
Distances 2 1/4 & 7
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.90
Place £2.00 £3.10 £3.10
Exacta £24.00
CSF £17.88
Tricast £99.29
Time 5' 14.1"
1:40
1st 2 Posh Emily 4/1
2nd 9 Bethebestyouvcanbe 14/1
3rd 8 Leprechaun's Gold 7/2 fav
12 Ran NR 13
Distances neck & 10
Fav third
Tote
Win £4.00
Place £2.00 £5.40 £1.80
Exacta £83.90
CSF £59.6
Tricast £225.59
Time 4' 35.9"
2:10
1st 2 Mount Cook 7/2 jf
2nd 3 Compton Star 7/1
3rd 1 Killing me Softly 11/2
8 Ran NR 6 & 9
Distances 8 & 9
Fav winner & No 5 (last)
Tote
Win £4.40
Place £1.80 £1.70 £2.20
Exacta £38.60
CSF £28.50
Tricast £132.79
Time 5' 32.5"
2:40
1st 11 Thundering Star 11/10 fav
2nd 3 Hot Diamond 11/8
3rd 8 Right Option 50/1
11 Ran NR's 2 & 6
Distances 4 1/2 & 1 3/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.00
Place £1.10 £1.10 £
Exacta £13.20
CSF £3.70
Time 4'37.4"
3:10
1st 14 Triple Bluff 11/1
2nd 3 Nothing Is Forever 20/1
3rd 2 Kerry's Girl 4/1
14 Ran
Distances 3 3/4 & 3
Fav
Tote
Win £14.40
Place £3.80 £4.80 £2.40
Exacta £325.50
CSF £325.50
Tricast £218.47
Time
3:40
1st3 Flight Command 6/1
2nd 8 Iris's Prince 11/4 fav
3rd 4 Mighty Moose 8/1
12 Ran
Distances 3 1/4 & 26
Fav second
Tote
Win £6.70
Place £1.90 £1.60 £3.10
Exacta £22.80
CSF £22.90
Tricast £133.92
Time 6' 49.6"
4:10
1st 5 Megabill 5/1
2nd 4 Ironical 3/1
3rd 14 Tara Taylor 11/1
13 Ran NR 12
Distances 2 1/4 & head
Fav Great Mates 6/4 (upl)
Tote
Win £5.80
Place £1.90 £1.60 £3.10
Exacta £26.10
CSF £20.14
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