A Proper Summer's Day at the Races

My old dad used to say that July racing in the West Country was the best-kept secret in British flat racing. "None of the London crowd, Roger," he'd tell me, nursing a cider somewhere in the stands, "and all of the fun." I thought about him this afternoon as the cards came in from Taunton — seven races on good-to-firm ground, a warm Somerset breeze, and enough talking points to keep us busy well into the evening. Pull up a stool. Let's go through it.

The Taunton racecard today was a genuinely varied affair — novice stakes for the youngsters finding their feet, a Class 6 handicap that looked like a proper cavalry charge, and a feature sprint that had the quality to turn heads. Seven races, one course, and no shortage of horses worth scribbling in the notebook for next time.

The Feature Race: The Weatherbys Global Stallions App Handicap (Class 3, 6f)

If you were only going to watch one race today, the 16:10 was the one. An £18,000 Class 3 sprint over six furlongs with ten declared runners — well, nine once Deep Havana was scratched — and a field that had genuine quality from top to bottom. Every single runner carried a course-and-distance or course win to their name, which tells you something about how well-suited this trip and track tends to be for the sprinting type.

At the head of the market you'd have been looking at Veblen Good (Daniel Tudhope, rated 89) and Novello Lad (David Nolan, rated 89) — both on the same mark, both with proven form at this level, and both the sort of horses that make handicappers earn their money. Tudhope is a jockey who travels beautifully on a front-runner in these conditions, and if Veblen Good bounced out smartly, he'd have been tough to peg back on ground this quick.

Strong Warrior (Warren Fentiman, rated 88) and Indian Run (Ryan Sexton, rated 86) added further depth, while Juan Les Pins — ridden by Harry Davies and carrying the C and D flags — was the one that caught my eye as a potential each-way play. Course-and-distance winners in fields like this have an annoying habit of turning up when you've already talked yourself out of them.

The non-runner Deep Havana (rated 90) would have been the one to beat on ratings, so his absence opened the door nicely. A race worth watching the replay of, and the winner will almost certainly be seen in better company before the summer's out.

Ones to Follow: The Horses Worth Tracking

Every card throws up a few horses that stick in the memory for the right reasons — either they ran a blinder without winning, shaped with more promise than the bare result suggests, or simply caught the eye in a way that makes you want to be on them next time. Here are mine from today:

  • Brouhaha (14:08 Novice Stakes, Harry Davies) — An unraced novice in a Class 4 over nearly a mile, trained connections tend to know what they've got when they pitch them in at this level. The name alone deserves a following, but if the performance matched the billing, pencil this one in for a step up in trip next time.
  • Moral Victory (14:08, David Nolan) — Nolan is a jockey who doesn't waste his time on no-hopers, and an unraced horse with that name in a decent novice has a certain poetry about it. One for the notebook.
  • Go Lockers Go (15:10 David Lever Memorial Handicap, Daniel Tudhope) — Rated 70 and carrying the D flag, meaning he's won here before. Tudhope booked for a course specialist in a competitive Class 5 sprint is a combination worth respecting. If he ran well today, he's the type to follow back to Taunton in August.
  • Concert (15:10, Tom Marquand) — Marquand is one of the most intelligent jockeys riding in Britain right now, and he tends to pick his rides carefully at the smaller meetings. A course winner rated 69, this is exactly the type of horse that can win a few races from a fair mark before the assessor catches up.
  • Asia Force (15:40 Weatherbys Racing Bank Handicap, Clifford Lee) — The mile-and-a-half Class 4 was the most intriguing race on paper for staying types. Asia Force, rated 78, looked the form pick against a small but select field. If he travelled well in the conditions, he could be one for a step up to Listed company later in the season.

The Cavalry Charge: Army Benevolent Fund Handicap (Class 6, 6f)

Nineteen runners. Six furlongs. A ratings range from 38 to 55. If you've ever wondered what controlled chaos looks like, the 14:40 was your answer. These big-field Class 6 sprints are the bread and butter of an afternoon card like this, and while they're not for the faint-hearted from a betting perspective, they're tremendous fun to watch.

Thehunnebelllegacy (Warren Fentiman, rated 55) was the top weight and therefore the one the handicapper fancied most, while Stormy Pearl (M. P. Sheehy, rated 54) and Everydaysasaturday (Zak Wheatley, rated 54) were right there on the same mark. With nineteen runners, draw and early position matters enormously over six furlongs at Taunton — any horse that got a clean run from a decent draw deserves credit regardless of finishing position.

In races like this, I always say: don't chase the winner, chase the unlucky one. Find the horse that was hampered, wide, or slowly away — that's your bet next time at a bigger price.

Notable Jockey-Trainer Combinations and Looking Ahead

A few names kept cropping up on the Taunton racecard today that are worth flagging for the weeks ahead. David Nolan rode in three races — always a sign that connections trust a jockey to give them an honest assessment across a card. Tom Marquand had two rides and, as mentioned, he's selective enough that you sit up when he takes a booking at a midweek meeting.

Harry Davies was another with multiple rides, and he's a young jockey building real momentum this season. Keep him on your radar, particularly when he's booked for horses with course form.

The 15:40 Weatherbys Racing Bank Handicap over a mile and four furlongs was a small but select field, and York Tower (Tom Marquand, rated 78) alongside Asia Force and Yafreh (Shane Gray, rated 77) looked like a genuine three-way contest. Marquand on a stayer over a trip in good-to-firm conditions — that's a combination that tends to deliver. If York Tower ran well, he could be one for a similar race at Salisbury or Newmarket later in the summer.

Meanwhile, the 16:40 closer — the William Hill Summer Cup Saturday 1st August Book Now Handicap (yes, that's a real race name, and yes, it does exactly what it says on the tin) — gave us fourteen runners over seven furlongs. In A Hurry (Daniel Tudhope, rated 67) carried the C and D flags and had Tudhope in the saddle, which is about as good a combination as you'll find at this level. Tattie Bogle (Jason Hart, rated 68) was another course winner to note — Hart is a jockey who knows how to ride a finish, and if the race set up right, he'd have been dangerous late.

Final Thoughts: Somerset Did Us Proud

All in all, Taunton put on a cracking card today. Seven races, good ground, a sprinkling of quality in the feature sprint, and enough novices and progressive handicappers to keep the notebook busy for the next few weeks. That's what a summer Wednesday card should be — not glamorous, not Ascot, but genuinely enjoyable racing with real horses and real stories.

My dad was right about July in the West Country. It's not the flashiest racing on the calendar, but it's honest, it's warm, and if you know where to look, it throws up some very interesting horses indeed. Keep an eye on the ones mentioned above — particularly Go Lockers Go, Concert, and whoever impressed in the feature — because this time of year, the form from tracks like Taunton has a funny way of holding up when these horses travel north or east for their next assignment.

Until next time. Good luck, and back the ones you fancy — not the ones you think you should.