TAUNTON Races was the place to be when they hosted their Twixmas Meeting on Tuesday, December 30.

The sun shone and the huge crowd of more than 5.600, just short of the all time record, were treated to a hugely entertaining afternoon of national hunt racing and some local winners.

The first local winner was in the third race on the card when Fat Face Colombo trained at Norton Fitzwarren by Richard Mitford-Slade and ridden by James Best came in at 6-4 favourite.

In the fifth race Stoodleigh based Nigel Hawke’s 11-10 favourite Square Du Roule was in contention throughout but at the end was beaten by a short head by the Joe Tizzard trained Mask of Zorro.

The final race of the day, the Musgrove Park League of Friends Conditional Jockey’s Training Series Handicap Hurdle over two miles three furlongs, was won by an even closer margin. Cornish Storm trained on the Blackdown Hills by Stuart Kittow and ridden by three pound claimer Oscar Palmer, went off at 6-1 and in the final stages was chased all the way to the line by the Nigel Hawke trained Inferno Sacree and hung on to win by a nose - the shortest of margins.

During the course of the afternoon there was a bucket collection for Musgrove Park League of Friends.

The next meeting at Taunton is due on Thursday 8th January when the action is due to start at 1.30pm.

The following meeting is on Saturday 17th January starting at 12.55pm.

Taunton offers generous discounts for tickets purchased on-line by 12 noon on the day prior to the raceday. To purchase on line tickets or to find out more log onto www.tauntonracecourse.co.uk