Thursday 12th February 2026
Our first selection of the day on Thursday comes within the 1.05 at Taunton, and this is a Class 4 maiden hurdle over two miles and half of a furlong. It could pay to give another chance to the Anthony Honeyball-trained MARHABA PRINCE here, who’s the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies. He was narrowly beaten at short odds on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield in December; however, that was his first run in six months. He should take a big step forward coming into his second outing here, and he should be fine on the testing ground, having won a bumper on soft on his rules debut. His main dangers are Western Cross & Babyken, both of which hold strong claims at the top of the market.
Next up for us is the 1.40 at Taunton, and this is another Class 4 maiden event, this time over a distance of two miles and three furlongs. FIVE BAR GATE sets a solid standard in this particular affair for Neil Mulholland and Conor O’Farrell. He’s a point winner, a bumper winner, and ran with credit on his first start over hurdles when finishing fifth of thirteen over course and distance last month. Naturally, he should improve following that run here, and that possibly makes him the one they have to beat here. His main danger is likely to come in the form of Leader Crik for the Twiston-Davies team, who makes his first start here since October following a wind operation.
It’s over to Lingfield for our next two picks, and the first of which comes within the 2.33, a Class 5 handicap that’s contested over five furlongs. Richard Hughes’s WISETANCK makes some appeal here under the seven-pound claimer Donagh Murphy. He went close at Kempton on his handicap debut back in December, finishing a neck second of seven over six furlongs, with that run coming off just a pound higher mark. He makes his stable debut here, and they’ve dropped him down to five furlongs immediatley which could be notable. The rider’s seven-pound claim is also another big plus, and he could go very close here. The main danger looks to come in the form of Henrythenate for Stuart Williams, who won over course and distance last time out.
Our fourth and final selection of the afternoon comes within the 4:15 at Lingfield, and this is Class 4 handicap action over a mile. FARASI LANE could end his winless streak here for the team of Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole. He ran his best race for a while last time out at Wolverhampton when finishing three-quarters of a length second of nine, and remains on the same mark here, which is considerably lower than his last winning mark, and also effectively seven pounds lower with Charlie Bell’s claim coming off his back. The yard has recently started to fire in winners, and he looks like a player here. The main danger is the Lexington Jet for David Loughnane, who has won back-to-back handicaps in his last two starts in comfortable fashion.
1.05 Taunton – MARHABA PRINCE – 4/1 – (Win)
1.40 Taunton – FIVE BAR GATE – 15/8 – (Win) (NAP)
2.33 Lingfield – WISETANCK – 7/2 – (Win) (NB)
4.15 Lingfield – FARASI LANE – 11/2 (Each-Way)
