17:20 Taunton

Thursday 9 April 2026

All14:3215:0715:4016:1516:5017:2017:55

Mike's Seventieth Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:20 | Winning time: 5m 54.31s

Hall Lane²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Jack Hogan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 100

5/1

Potentially well treated on the pick of his form for Alan King and all the better for his belated comeback (off 13 months) when second at Huntingdon 4 weeks ago. Entitled to come on again.

Form: 1548-62

Illogical Logic²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight⁽⁷⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 88

8/1

Opened his account at Newton Abbot last summer and went close at Windsor in November. Ran one of his lesser races at Plumpton last time but type to bounce back.

Form: PP2234

McGregors Charge¹⁸⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Godfrey| T: K Woollacott| OR: 88

13/8

Got off the mark at Perth in August and solid placed efforts since at Stratford and Newton Abbot next 2 starts. Extreme test against him at Hexham when last seen in October and has since left Ella Pickard.

Form: 24132P

Cave Article²³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 86

17/2

Gained a third chase win at Southwell (3m) in June but below par next 3 starts. Returns on a winning mark after 7 months off.

Form: 1-31463

Gata Ban^p³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Bradley Harris⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 85| C

10/3

Winning hurdler but hasn't gone on from her promising chase debut, well held at Plumpton latest.

Form: 1-26663

School For Scandal²⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: Callum Pritchard⁽³⁾| T: J Tickle| OR: 80| CD

10/1

Veteran who won at Windsor in November, narrowly seeing off the re-opposing Illogical Logic, but hasn't managed to back that up in 4 subsequent starts, found to have bled when pulled up last month.

Form: 41745P

Boys Of Wexford^v1¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: James Davies| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 77

16/1

Posted best effort for some time under positive tactics when second at Fontwell in November but below par since. Change of headgear.

Form: P52UP4

Non-Runners

Fat Sam¹⁵

Weight: 11-10| Age: 12

T: David Dennis J: Non Runner

Forecasts

McGregors Charge (13/8), Gata Ban (10/3), Hall Lane (5/1), Illogical Logic (8/1), Cave Article (17/2), School For Scandal (10/1), Boys Of Wexford (16/1), Fat Sam (16/1)

HALL LANE stepped up on his reappearance under less testing conditions when runner-up at Huntingdon and looks up to defying his much-reduced mark. Stablemates Illogical Logic and Cave Article are feared most.