13:30 Taunton

Thursday 8 January 2026

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:00

3 February Sporting Clubs Day Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 9.72s

Arnie Moon³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Taylor Fisher| T: J Tickle

66/1

Better effort in bumpers when fourth of 6 at Newton Abbot on debut in June but went with no encouragement when well held on last month's Exeter hurdling debut.

Form: 490

Hard Stare²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Ben Godfrey| T: A J Honeyball| D

25/1

Bumper efforts weren't devoid of some promise but he's been tailed off on both outings over hurdles.

Form: 19-300

Jaffa Cake³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling

10/1

Second on bumper debut in March but comfortably held in another bumper and both hurdles starts since.

Form: 20-70

Onlyforfrankie²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| D

1/3

Fairly useful bumper winner in Ireland who showed promise when hurdling when third of 12 in maiden at Hereford (16.2f, good to soft) 29 days ago. That performance is supported by the timefigure and he has to be considered the one to beat.

Form: 5441-73

Quinta Brigada⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Conor Ring| T: Evan Williams

50/1

Shaped like a stayer in 2 bumpers in Ireland, so will likely find the test inadequate starting out over hurdles over the minimum trip for new yard.

Form: 6-8

Trooper²⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C Gethings| T: T R George

33/1

Fair form at best on Flat in Germany for C. von der Recke (stays 10.5f), last ran in April 2025. Betting probably best guide ahead of this switch to hurdling for new stable.

Form:

Victors Spirit²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King

18/1

Well held in AW maiden on the level just over 3 weeks ago but had shaped with some promise in 2 bumpers in the summer. Makes hurdle bow.

Form: 22

Galactic Princess^h1⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Robbie David⁽⁷⁾| T: Daisy Hitchins

150/1

Second in 3-runner event sole start in Irish points (Apr 2025) but sent off 50/1 and failed to complete on recent Rules debut, struggling when pulled up before 3 out. Hood quickly applied.

Form: 2-P

Babyken^t1⁷⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| D

7/2

Maiden winner on Flat in France who shaped as if amiss when pulled up in juvenile at Fontwell (17.7f, good, 7/2) on hurdling debut in October, folding tamely. Surely capable of better.

Form: P

Non-Runners

Constantinian⁶⁶

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: O Signy J: G Sheehan

Forecasts

Onlyforfrankie (1/3), Constantinian (3/1), Babyken (7/2), Jaffa Cake (10/1), Victors Spirit (18/1), Hard Stare (25/1), Trooper (33/1), Quinta Brigada (50/1), Arnie Moon (66/1), Galactic Princess (150/1)

ONLYFORFRANKIE shaped promisingly when third at Hereford on his hurdling debut last month and, with the timefigure supporting the performance, he's very much the one to beat in an ordinary-looking maiden. Constantinian made an underwhelming start to his hurdling career at the aforementioned track in November but is still preferred to Babyken for the forecast spot.