SINCE taking over the licence at Pond House Yard at Nicholashayne from his father Martin in 2006, David Pipe has saddled 15 winners at the Cheltenham Festival which gets underway on Tuesday, March 14, writes Richard Walsh.

Ahead of what is the biggest four days in National Hunt racing calendar. David chatted through some of his horses.

“We haven’t got too many horses going to Cheltenham and of course a lot depends on whether we get any rain or not,” he said. “Remastered might go the Ultima - he’s had a very good season and is in good form so this might hopefully be a prep run for the Grand National.

“Thanksforthehelp won very easily at Chepstow last Saturday and he will go for the Pertemps. He just squeaks in at the bottom of the weights so he should be very competitive in that. Thomas Mor might run in the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle - he is a big price he has a good each way chance. The drier the ground the better it will suit home. He put up a nice performance at Ascot last time he ran so he will have an outside chance at a big price.”

So far David Pipe has notched up 67 winners this campaign about which he said: “ We have had a very good season so far and hopefully we can keep it up now until the end.”

To help punters get into the mood Taunton are hosting their Free Race Day on Monday, the day prior to the start of the Cheltenham Festival when the first of the seven races on the card, which has a massive prize pot of almost £70,000 up for grabs is due to post at 1.40pm.

The big race on the card is The William Hill Stayers Hurdle Top Price Guarantee Handicap Steeple Chase, (Class 3) over a distance of three and a half miles at 3.25pm which has a prize fund of £16,500.

Racegoers are reminded that 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.

Taunton race again this month on Monday 20th and Thursday 30th March.