16:15 Taunton

Tuesday 3 February 2026

All13:4014:1214:4515:1515:4516:1516:45

24 March Behind The Scenes Raceday Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:18 | Winning time: 4m 47.04s

Jaitroplaclasse^p,t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Price| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 100

11/4

Bagged Newton Abbot handicap chase in September and posted best effort since when, equipped with first-time cheekpieces (retained), come home third of 12 at Ludlow (2½m, soft) recently. Ought to be in the mix once again.

Form: 51F733

Falco Des Pins⁸⁶

15/2

Second in a big-field hurdle on final start for previous connections in France. However, didn't show much in 4 starts in handicap hurdles last term and again struggled on return/chase debut when better was clearly expected (sent off at 5/2) at Ffos Las (2m, soft). Since undergone a wind

Form: 2/P888-6

Storming Nelson⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 90

7/2

Sole career success came in 16.7f Exeter novice hurdle on New Year's Day 2024. Mixed bag since and while a repeat of his third in 7-runner Fontwell handicap in December would give him a fighting chance, he hasn't come close to matching that in 2 subsequent starts, including on recent chase debut.

Form: P9-4345

Nedzor^p1²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R T Dunne| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 85| BF

5/1

Showed promise over hurdles last term and finished runner-up behind a couple of well-treated rivals on first 2 starts switched to fences this season. Below par back hurdling at Ffos Las last month but he's a plausible candidates returned to this sphere with first-time cheekpieces enlisted.

Form: 383-226

Just Aidan^p1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: H Dickin| OR: 84

11/1

Improved when landing back-to-back handicap hurdles last term but his efforts since returning to action in December have lacked spark and hopes now pinned on the switched to fences/first-time cheekpieces giving him a lift.

Form: 3116-P7

Holy Legend¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Lorcan Williams| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 82

16/1

Couple of fair efforts on his hurdling CV but he was beaten a country mile sent chasing over 2m here 17 days ago and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 7/334-87

Palawan Du Mazet^b⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: James Davies| T: A E Jones| OR: 76

7/2

First past the post on chase debut in this race off a 2 lb higher mark 12 months ago (subsequently disqualified) and his seasonal reappearance spin back here in December was probably needed. Remains open to improvement in this sphere and a bold show could be on the way.

Form: 8/555D-5

Joker Jack^t⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Godfrey| T: Claire Hitch| OR: 71

40/1

Poor maiden hurdler who will need to improve markedly for the switch to the larger obstacles if he's to have a say in the finish.

Form: P/3P0P-0

Forecasts

Jaitroplaclasse (11/4), Palawan Du Mazet (7/2), Storming Nelson (7/2), Nedzor (5/1), Falco Des Pins (15/2), Just Aidan (11/1), Holy Legend (16/1), Joker Jack (40/1)

The form of last season's renewal of this race is working out well and PALAWAN DU MAZET, who was first past the post that day, is appealing off 2 lb lower this time round with last month's C&D reappearance spin under his belt. Nedzor has found just one too good on each of his two starts in this sphere and he is feared most ahead of Jaitroplaclasse.