WE ARE now entering the final week of the 2025-26 National Hunt season with the finale coming at Sandown on Saturday. Fear not, with a little break in jumps racing after the weekend, we do have Punchestown to look forward to next week!

Last week, Show Your Hand was a little unlucky to get pipped at the post at Exeter in the bumper. He is a lovely young horse and we can now look forward to him going over hurdles in the autumn.

October Hill finished third in the maiden hurdle, looking like the winner two out but she finished a little weakly after the last hurdle.

Green Sky was unsuited by Exeter and will try her luck again at Taunton this week while Bashful Bay ran his usual honest race to be fourth at Bath on Friday evening.

Penn Avenue was a little unlucky to lose out on third place close to the line at Ayr while Phantomofthepoints is now on holidays after he disappointed up in Scotland.

Our first runner of this week will be Mancero at Ffos Las on Tuesday evening. He ran his best race to date last time at Wincanton to be a staying on fourth in a race that he had little chance of winning coming from off the pace.

It is a busy evening for the team at Taunton on Wednesday with five runners providing the ground is as currently described, good.

Parchment will run in the novice’s hurdle, making what will be just his second start for us since coming over from France. He was very disappointing on debut back in the autumn and he took a long time to come right following that run and so we know it was too bad to be true. He has blossomed this spring with the sunshine.

Old Bridge returns from a winter break and is in good form at home. He actually finished second four times for us last summer without winning and he deserves to get his head in front. This looks a good opportunity for that and fingers crossed he can get his first win over hurdles.

Best Night and Green Sky are in the same race, a handicap hurdle over 2m3f. Best Night has run well in her last two starts over hurdles and a repeat of those runs would see her go very well in this, while first time blinkers for Green Sky need to have a positive effect but a return to a sharper track should suit.

Final Entry completes our quintet and will appreciate stepping up in distance in this race. If he puts his best foot forwards then he could run a big race. My son, Jack has been riding him all the time during the Easter holidays so I will know who to give credit or stick to depending on how he runs!

On Saturday, Way Of Stars is an intended runner in the novices handicap hurdle final at Sandown. He is a real likeable four-year-old who has run well and improved in each of his three starts over hurdles. A rating of 115 looks fair on what he has done so far but I would hope there is room for improvement.