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Each year at the beginning of the Cheltenham Festival week
Taunton hosts a race day dedicated to those who spend their
days playing host to others. The county’s landlords
are thanked for the support they continue to give to the Racecourse,
with the day’s race names reflecting the occasion. The
meeting is on Monday 12th March, with the
first race at 2.20, and always provides a
splendid way to ease into the highlight of the National Hunt
season which begins on the following day. Usually the meeting
before this one throws up a chance for Taunton regulars to
catch an early glance at a horse destined for Cheltenham,
and this time interest centred around the Paul Nicholls trained
Granit Jack, understood to be ready to make an appearance
on the first day of the Festival. The champion trainer would
surely have been delighted by what amounted to a good training
run, with jockey Ruby Walsh allowing the horse to show his
undoubted class in winning the Novice Hurdle by a country
mile.
Back to Landlords’ day, with the best race probably
The Lion Inn At Timberscombe Handicap Steeple Chase, worth
£6,500 and run over almost 2 and a half miles. The race
is named for the publican who sold most tickets for the day
in a competition arranged by the Racecourse. Elsewhere on
the card you’ll find The Greyhound Inn At Staple Fitzpaine
Beginners’ Chase, The No Half Measures Novices’
Handicap Hurdle and The Same Again Please Landlord Classified
Steeple Chase, with the meeting ending with, appropriately,
The Last Orders Handicap Hurdle. It all adds up to a good
fun day.
And a good fun day is also being lined up for the meeting
to follow this, when Taunton hosts its first ever Sunday fixture
on 25th March. Every effort has been made to make it a great
family day, with children’s amusements, a mechanical
horse to test those riding skills and a special advance Family
ticket available for just £16, details of which can
be found at www.southwestracing.com,
or by application to the Racecourse office. Look for more
information coming your way soon. First, though, time to enjoy
a traditional country race meeting with plenty of elbow room
ahead of the Cheltenham Festival on Monday 12th March
at 2.20.
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The
Landlords’ Race Day
