16:10 Taunton

Monday 9 March 2026

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:10

DragonBet The Roar Before Cheltenham Welcome Offer Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 6m 7.01s

Washington Singer³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Rian Corcoran⁽⁷⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 100

11/2

Best effort yet on second hurdles start when runner-up in maiden at Lingfield last February (finishing ahead of a couple of subsequent improvers). Has run creditably without improving for switch to handicaps but still early days and steps up in distance here.

Form: 32-U534

Hunting Percival^t²⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Tracey Barfoot-Saunt| OR: 95

300/1

Showed very little on first outing since leaving Syd Hosie after 22 months off at Chepstow recently so has plenty to prove.

Form: 304P6/9

Chief Black Robe³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Broughton⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 93| D

8/1

Won 4 handicap chases on the bounce for this yard in 2023. Posted much his best effort since rejoining Fergal O'Brien when runner-up at Market Rasen over fences (19.2f, soft) last month. Step back up in trip looks a good move and, though 0-14 in this sphere, he merits respect.

Form: 525542

Lady Caro⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Cameron Johnstone-Baker⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 90

11/1

Narrow Plumpton success last March remains her sole success in this sphere from 17 attempts and while she resumed with a couple of creditable placed efforts in September, she didn't really see her races around 2m in the autumn. Similar story over C&D in December so best watched.

Form: P-33374

Hard Stare^t⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Godfrey| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 88

6/1

Bumper efforts weren't devoid of some promise, but he's been tailed off all 3 outings over hurdles. May well prove a different proposition now handicapping upped markedly in trip (tongue tie reapplied).

Form: 19-3007

Walkinthepresent^p²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Dylan Johnston| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 85

7/4

Placed in an Irish point. Tailed off in maiden/novice starts before leaving those efforts behind when third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter in January. Improved further upped to 3m in first-time cheekpieces when an even closer third at Chepstow since so respected with more to come.

Form: 3-06833

Inchagoill Lady^t,p³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Mr Jack Stenhouse⁽⁷⁾| T: K Pickard| OR: 81| CD

15/2

C&D winner last spring but rather in-and-out in both codes this winter, below form returned to hurdles and more testing ground at Wincanton in January. Down to her last winning mark so worth a second look with drying conditions a positive.

Form: 562255

Mancero^b⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 86

5/1

Fair ex-French 15f hurdles winner but little to shout about for his current yard, though his latest seventh of 13 here (19f) was a step in the right direction. Needs to build on that upped further in trip from 3 lb out of the weights.

Form: 1-2P6P7

Non-Runners

Shuil Ceoil³³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: N P Mulholland J: Bradley Harris

Special John⁵⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: S Thomas J: Matt Griffiths

Forecasts

Walkinthepresent (7/4), Special John (2/1), Mancero (5/1), Washington Singer (11/2), Hard Stare (6/1), Inchagoill Lady (15/2), Chief Black Robe (8/1), Lady Caro (11/1), Shuil Ceoil (12/1), Hunting Percival (300/1)

WALKINTHEPRESENT has taken his form up a notch since sent handicapping this year and with further progress on the cards, Neil Mulholland's 6-y-o gets the verdict over Special John, who hasn't looked back since joining this yard and first-time cheekpieces go on for this return to hurdling (is 5 lb lower than for latest chase win). Washington Singer and Chief Black Robe complete the shortlist.