TAUNTON kick off their 2023-24 season next Thursday, November 16, with a six race card which gets underway at 12.40pm.

With the conditions looking ideal for national hunt racing, the four hurdle and two chase events are all expected to be well supported by the many trainers who are based locally.

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

There is plenty of racing in store at the Orchard Portman over the coming few weeks with further meetings taking place on Thursday, November 30, Thursday, December 14 and of course the biggest meeting of the year on Saturday, December 30.

A reminder to those going along that discounted ticket prices are available for all of the above if you book in advance at www.tauntonracecourse.co.uk

Meanwhile, Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, whose Sandhill Racing Stables are based at Bilbrook, are continuing to enjoy good form and to date this season have chalked up 12 winners, in addition to having enjoyed a number of horses in the frame.

Their latest success was at Chepstow last week when Madeket ridden by stable jockey Micheal Nolan won a two and half mile chase at 6-1.

No doubt Hobbs and Johnson along with many of the locally based trainers will have horses running at Taunton’s opener on Thursday, so why not go along and enjoy the opening action at our local course.