Taunton, Wednesday 22 April 2026 — Tips & Selections

Taunton, Wednesday 22 April 2026 — Tips & Selections

A six-race evening card at Taunton on good ground, and there are some genuinely interesting angles to unpick across the three featured races. Neither David Pipe nor Syd Hosie are in red-hot form right now, which shapes how you read their runners. Tom Lacey (2/7), Emma Lavelle (2/7), and David Dennis (1/2) all have live ammunition on the card. Let's get into it.

4:53 — Best Dressed Competitions Novices' Hurdle (2m3f)

The market has this as a two-horse race between Kilnew Supreme and Parchment, and honestly, that framing is broadly correct. But the one I want is Kilnew Supreme at 11/8 (Virgin Bet, LiveScore Bet).

Paul Nicholls sends this five-year-old up in trip having shaped with real promise in both a Wincanton bumper and a maiden hurdle at 1m7f on good ground. He's been placed every time he's finished, ran into a subsequent decent winner in an Irish point, and had wind surgery before his latest start. The step to 2m3f on good ground at Taunton suits the profile entirely, and the Nicholls yard has been placing him carefully. Freddie Gingell takes the ride and the booking makes sense.

Parchment is intriguing after wind surgery of his own, but he disappointed badly at Kempton on his British debut and has been off since November. Taking him on at 2/1 feels the right call here when Kilnew Supreme has been consistent and is moving up in trip for a reason.

Crest Of Stars deserves respect. He won this course and distance back in January on good ground and his Ludlow run last time, staying on into third in a handicap, screams that this longer trip is the right direction. With the 7lb claim of Chad Bament, he's a solid each-way option at 7/2.

• Selection: Kilnew Supreme (11/8, Virgin Bet)
• Each-Way Interest: Crest Of Stars (7/2, Bet365)

6:00 — Ron Hatton Memorial Handicap Hurdle (2m3f)

Nine runners, a proper handicap, and a race where the form angles are worth digging into.

The horse I keep coming back to is Dirty Den Each-Way at 13/2 (Betfred, Dragon Bet, BresBet). He won at Plumpton on soft in February, but the key line in his profile is the solid third over course and distance on good ground at the end of last year. The cheekpieces worn in that C&D placing are back on today, they were also worn when he finished second here 13 months ago, and those subsequent defeats came in seriously competitive series qualifiers that flatter the bare form. The handicapper has revised his mark up, but the class of those losing runs is actually encouraging. He fits the track, the trip, and the going. Paddy Hanlon takes five pounds off, which matters at these weights. The price looks generous given the course form.

Taritino is the other serious player here. He won a hands-and-heels contest over course and distance in March, ran respectably at Exeter last Friday on the same good ground, and stays the trip. The concern is whether Friday comes too soon, but at 7/2 (Bet365), the market clearly thinks he's coming here in good nick.

Best Night (5/1, Bet365) gets a mention. She won at Huntingdon on good ground last month and has a respectable C&D handicap placing on her card from January. The tired mistake at the last last time out is easily explained, and David Pipe needs a winner somewhere on this card even if the yard stats are poor.

Myrighthandman is interesting on handicap debut, a 3m Irish point winner who has put up consistent RPRs, and Tom Lacey is in decent form. The issue is we simply do not know how he handles a handicap environment yet. Worth keeping onside at 3/1 for those who prefer the safer angle.

• Selection: Dirty Den (13/2, Betfred) each-way
• Each-Way Interest: Taritino (7/2, Bet365)

7:00 — Charles Clark Memorial Handicap Hurdle (3m)

Seven runners over three miles on good ground, and this looks like a match between Gasmani and Noble Blue.

Gasmani is my pick at 11/4 (William Hill, Coral). David Dennis has had a cracking 14-day strike rate (1/2) and this horse came good over course and distance just 13 days ago, winning by five lengths in a novice handicap where he travelled powerfully and asserted before two out. Noble Blue, the hot favourite that day, unseated early and never troubled proceedings. Gasmani goes up 6lb, which is the only real question mark, but a horse who won like that on this track, at this trip, in these conditions, is not one to easily dismiss. Charlie Maggs retains the ride, which matters.

Noble Blue at 2/1 (William Hill) is the obvious danger. He ran 11221 before that unseat, is clearly a capable performer, and the form reads very well. Kayley Woollacott's yard is out of form at 0/5 in the last two weeks, but Noble Blue looks good enough to overcome that. The argument against is simple: Gasmani beat the field when this horse was not in the race, and we do not know how Noble Blue bounces back after an unseat.

Sage Green at 7/2 (Bet365, William Hill, Coral) is interesting given his peak hurdle efforts and the fact he is a 2024 Irish 3m point winner, but his hurdle runs have all been at around 2m and Syd Hosie's yard is cold at 0/9. The trip over hurdles is unproven and that combination keeps him to each-way consideration at best in a race of only seven runners where place terms apply to three finishers.

• Selection: Gasmani (11/4, William Hill)

Today's NAP