Matt Brocklebank is back in the hot-seat with his best bets for Taunton and Chelmsford today.
PHOENIX RISEN could be worth chancing in the conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Taunton. He's saved most of his better efforts for this venue over the past couple of years, winning twice over course and distance in April 2023, and he's back on a mark 4lb lower than when last successful. That's largely down to being out of sorts when last seen in the summer but the break is entitled to have done some good and his trainer Jeremy Scott was 4-20 at this venue during the 2023-24 campaign, registering a level-stakes profit of +8.50.
Flaine will be popular here but a lot went right for her on stable debut at Southwell earlier in the month and this looks a tougher assignment racing off 5lb higher from stall eight of 11. Housed down on the inside, RESPIRO SOLITARIO looks the one to be on after his better effort when fitted with a tongue-tie (retained) at Wolverhampton last time out. The assessor has eased him another couple of pounds and the drop from a 0-65 handicap to a 0-55 could be enough to yield a first career success for the son of Bated Breath.
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