TAUNTON host their Evening Meeting later on Thursday which signals the end of another National Hunt Racing season, during which there has been some excellent entertainment, and with 62 runners declared in the six races the first of which is off at 5.20pm this looks set to continue, writes Richard Walsh.

The going is good and many of the leading trainers including Paul Nicholls, David Pipe, Joe Tizzard, Dan Skelton, Neil Mulholland, Emma Lavelle, Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, as well as Gary Moore all have runners, while top jockeys Jamie Moore, Harry Cobden, Sean Bowen, Micheal Nolan and Brendan Powell are all booked to ride.

The most valuable race on the card is the Charles Clark Memorial handicap Chase over two miles seven furlongs at 7.35pm which has a very generous prize pot of £12,300 up for grabs.

Two horses that are likely to be well in the mix are Imperial Joe trained by Tim Dennis and ridden by Sean Houlihan, and Haldon Hill from Victor Dartnall’s yard at Brayford ridden by Alan Johns who won here at the end of March.

The final event of the season is the Rowcliffs Handicap Chase over two miles five which is due off at 8.10pm, which has prize money of £10,300 on offer.

Hard Frost, trained by Harry Derham and ridden by Paul O’Brien, who has local connections will be looking to make it third time lucky having finished a very close second the last two times out.

Another local horse Dindin ridden by Fergus Gillard for David Pipe for the David Pipe racing Club is also expected to attract a lot of interest.

A courtesy coach departs from outside Platform 5 of Taunton Railway Station 90 minutes before the off and returns half an hour after the start of the last.

The Orchard Portman Course  will be hosting a Royal Ascot Lunch on Saturday 24th June, which will include a drink on arrival, two course lunch. racing host, in house bookmaker and afternoon all for just £39 per person.

To book tickets or to find out more  log onto www.tauntonracecourse.co.uk  

Meanwhile David Pipe’s new stable jockey Jack Tudor won the Scottish Grand National on Kitty’s Light at Ayr on Sunday.

Tudor was riding for his former boss Christian Williams who also trained last season’s winner Win My Wings, while Tom Scudamore who jack Tudor replaced at Pond House rode Mighty Thunder to victory for Lucinda Russell in 2021.