Somerset Sizzles: A Taunton Thursday To Savour
There are days when Taunton just hums. Thursday was one of them. Good to firm ground — good in places — a warm Somerset afternoon, and six races that gave punters, trainers, and anyone with a passing interest in flat racing plenty to chew over. From a tight three-runner maiden to a thirteen-strong classified cavalry charge, the Taunton racecard had something for everyone.
It wasn't Ascot. It wasn't Glorious Goodwood. But you know what? Sometimes the real stories are told in Class 5 handicaps on a Thursday afternoon in July, and today had that feeling in abundance. Let's get into it.
The Feature: Meijer Celebration Cup Steals The Show
The Meijer Celebration Cup Handicap Stakes over seven furlongs at 16:10 was the race that had most of the paddock talking, and it's not hard to see why. Ten runners, a competitive Class 6 heat, and a field that read like a proper puzzle from top to bottom.
Captain Cess (Zak Wheatley, rated 55) headed the weights and carried the expectation of a horse who knows his way around a racecourse. But it was Emerald Army (James Sullivan, rated 54) who caught the eye in the build-up — that C,D course-and-distance form is the kind of detail that makes you sit up straight. Sullivan is a jockey in fine nick right now, and pairing him with a horse that clearly loves this track and trip felt like a combination worth following closely.
Crown of Dreams (Silvestre De Sousa, rated 52) was another one that had tongues wagging. De Sousa doesn't turn up to make up the numbers, and in a competitive lower-grade heat, his presence on a 52-rated runner screams confidence from connections. Watch that one carefully next time out.
The Apprentice Handicap: Where Futures Are Made
The By Chen Presidential Apprentice Handicap over the extended seven furlongs at 14:28 was a cracking watch for anyone who appreciates the next generation of riding talent. Five runners, five hungry young jockeys — this is where careers are shaped.
Lady Britain (Kyle McHugh, rated 72) was the one to beat on paper, and McHugh has been showing real promise this season. But don't sleep on Sandy Craic (Conor Whiteley, rated 71) — Whiteley has been picking up winners with impressive regularity and looks like a rider who knows exactly what he's doing when the pressure is on.
Leelawadee (Rhys Elliott, rated 61) is the dark horse of the piece. The rating might look workable against this sort, and if Elliott can produce a front-running display on the good-to-firm ground, she's absolutely capable of turning this into a procession. Rhys Elliott is a name to keep on your radar — he's riding with a maturity that belies his experience level.
Ones To Follow: The Horses That Caught Our Eye
Every card throws up a few names worth scribbling down. Here are the ones from today's action at Taunton that we think could go on to better things:
- Princess Honey Bee (Clifford Lee, 72 rated) — Top-rated in the opening maiden fillies' stakes and with Clifford Lee in the saddle, she's a filly who looks like she has a future. If she showed her class today, expect connections to step her up in grade quickly. A horse with a rating of 72 in a Class 5 restricted maiden is either well-placed or well-regarded — possibly both.
- Capital Guarantee (Conor Whiteley, 75 rated) — Heading the weights in the closing 16:45 handicap over the extended seven furlongs, this is a horse rated 75 in a Class 5 heat. That C,D form is a massive tick, and if Whiteley gets a kind lead, this could be a performance worth noting for future handicap entries at a higher level.
- Military Leader (P.J. McDonald, 70 rated) — The big name in the saddle for the finale. McDonald doesn't travel to Taunton on a Thursday afternoon without a genuine belief he can get the job done. The C,D qualification suggests this horse is well-suited, and McDonald's experience in getting horses to travel and quicken on good ground makes this a compelling watch.
- Straight Ahead (Clifford Lee, 72 rated) — Top-rated in the five-furlong dash at 15:03, with course-and-distance form already banked. The sprint trip on good-to-firm ground is tailor-made for a horse showing D form, and Lee has been in terrific touch. If this one fires, don't be surprised to see it reappear in a Class 4 next time.
- Emerald Army (James Sullivan, 54 rated) — Already mentioned above, but worth repeating. Course-and-distance winner, good jockey, competitive race. The kind of horse that wins these things and then disappears into a slightly better race before anyone's really noticed.
Jockey Watch: Clifford Lee Running Hot
If there's one name that jumped off the Taunton racecard today, it was Clifford Lee. Three rides across the card — Princess Honey Bee in the opener, Straight Ahead in the sprint, and Misemerald in the Celebration Cup — that's a trainer community voting with their feet. When multiple yards are booking the same jockey on the same card, it tells you something about the confidence in that rider right now.
Lee is the kind of jockey who thrives on good-to-firm ground — he's quick into his stride, doesn't waste energy in the early stages, and he's got a lovely instinct for when to press the button. If he's had a big day in Somerset, it won't be the last time we're writing his name in capital letters this summer.
Silvestre De Sousa also had a busy book — Dolo's Star in the opener and Regal Knight in the classified before Crown of Dreams in the feature. De Sousa at this level is always worth a second look; he's a former champion jockey who doesn't take rides for the sake of it.
Looking Ahead: Where Do These Horses Go Next?
The summer flat season is in full swing, and today's card throws up some fascinating possibilities for the weeks ahead. Capital Guarantee and Military Leader, if they performed to their marks today, could both be worth following into the Thirsk Sky Bet Summer Festival on Friday 24th July — fittingly, given that race was sponsored by Thirsk. Keep an eye on the entries.
Princess Honey Bee, if victorious in the maiden, is the kind of filly who could step straight into a Listed or better-quality novice race before the season is out. A rating of 72 suggests there's already an engine under the bonnet.
And for the sprinting fans, Straight Ahead with course-and-distance form on good-to-firm ground is exactly the profile that pops up in Class 4 five-furlong handicaps at tracks like Catterick, Carlisle, or Beverley over the coming weeks. Mark the name down.
Final Word: Taunton Delivers Again
Six races, good ground, and a card that rewarded the patient observer. Taunton doesn't always get the headlines it deserves, but on a Thursday like this — competitive fields, progressive horses, and a jockey roster that included De Sousa, McDonald, and Lee — it's hard to argue this wasn't a proper afternoon's racing.
The ones to follow are noted. The jockeys are watched. And if you weren't there or tuned in today, well — that's what we're here for. Same time next race day. Don't miss it.
