Raceday LIVE – Diamond Days
Taunton,
Thu 26 Feb 2026 14:16
Related horse(s):
Diamond Days
Diamond Days returns to hurdling this afternoon as he heads to Taunton for the first time in his career for the Class 5 Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle over 2m3f (14:16).
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track on X (@CRCofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
Having made his last three starts over fences with varied results, trainer Joe Tizzard has decided to send Diamond Days back over hurdles today in what will be his fifth run of the season. His first run of this campaign came over hurdles and he finished third, albeit well detached from the first two home. His chasing debut went far better when coming home in fourth place and just two lengths behind the winner.
WATCH: Freddie Gingell full of praise for Diamond Days following his chase debut at Lingfield
His next two runs over fences came on heavy and then soft ground, and although he doesn't mind ease in the surface, the conditions didn't seem to suit him over the bigger obstacles and may have been the reason why he struggled to jump as fluently as we'd have hoped for.
Diamond Days' best career result to date came at Lingfield over hurdles where he finished second in a Novices' Limited Handicap and that certainly bodes well as we look forward to today's race. The ground at Taunton is currently soft and the entry conditions of the race are the same as that day at Lingfield.
Today's race is full of opponents who are yet to win over hurdles, including our very own Diamond Days, but Cooler Than Me for Fergal and Fern O'Brien comes into the contest looking to make it a hat-trick of wins having won back-to-back races, including his most recent victory over course and distance on heavy ground. Although Cooler Than Me is the only winner over hurdles in the field, All Night Parking comes into today as a two-time point-to-point winner and Talap has tasted victory on the flat on six separate occasions.
Trainer, Joe Tizzard, explains the decision to send Diamond Days back over hurdles and how he feels heading into the contest
"We had the choice of a chase at Wincanton or this race over hurdles, and we felt the hurdles option was the better choice. Having seen the final declarations, I'm happy we've gone down this route. The betting says Fergal O'Brien's horse [Cooler Than Me] will be hard to beat, he was impressive winning here last time, but has gone up nine pounds as a result, although the rider's claim will help.
Of the rest though, I don't think there is too much to be afraid of, and I think our fellow has a really good each-way chance. His last run over hurdles was encouraging, and if I'm being honest, it hasn't quite worked out over fences as I'd have hoped, but he's still a young horse and we've not given up on him as a chaser by any means.
He'll cope with the soft going no problem, and he should find it easier jumping hurdles than fences in ground like this. We've put cheekpieces on him, I don't think he's in any way ungenuine or anything, but they can often just sharpen a horse up, help him concentrate, and it's good to try something a bit different.
I'm not saying today's the day he'll break his maiden tag, but I do think he goes there with plenty in his favour, and hopefully he can pick up decent prize money for his owners."
Pipped At The Post – Member Exclusive
As a Coral Racing Club member, thanks to our Pipped At The Post offer, once you opt-in, you could be paid as a WINNER in CASH up to a stake of £/€10 if your horse finishes 2nd by a neck or less behind the winner in today's 14:16 at Taunton – click here to find out more.
Exclusive Price Boost on Diamond Days to win
Tap below to head over to the 14:16 Taunton racecard and check out your exclusive price boost on Diamond Days to win
Racing TV Analyst, Chris Dixon, looks in depth at today's hurdle race at Taunton and tells us what he thinks of Diamond Days' chances in the contest
After a reasonably encouraging chase debut at Lingfield in November, Diamond Days has been a bit disappointing in two subsequent starts over fences so it’s not really a surprise to see him line up over smaller obstacles here. The upside of his below par runs is his handicap mark has dropped to an attractive level, now 4lbs lower than when third at Fontwell on his last hurdles run. Whether this track is a bit sharp for him might be a concern but he has at least run well over shorter distances and he may well be sharpened up by the application of cheek pieces for the first time. All things considered he looks to have a sound chance of getting competitive, though he may struggle to deal with the progressive Cooler Than Me.
Chasing a hat-trick following wins at Market Rasen and over this course and distance last time, Cooler Than Me has to defy a 9lbs rise in the weights but he is unbeaten in handicaps having started out on a very lenient mark and the way he won last time suggests the extra burden won’t be enough to stop him if in the same form. Talap was second to him last time and gets a pull at the weights but that doesn’t seem likely to be enough to reverse the form so it could be that Diamond Days is the biggest threat to the favourite.
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Joe Tizzard has been in good form of late recording two winners from his last six runners and a total of four winners in the past two weeks. Taunton is a track that Joe has a good record at so far in his career so hopefully he can add to his tally of 15 winners today with Diamond Days.
Brendan Powell is the stable jockey for Joe Tizzard so as you'd expect his form reflects that of Joe's. All three of Brendan's winners from the past 14 days have been for the Tizzard team, including Champion Hurdle contender, Alexei, who won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton just under two weeks ago.
Diamond Days' Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Diamond Days' run at Taunton this afternoon.
Diamond Days with two of his Owners for the Day ahead of his last run at Lingfield
What's included in this Owner for the Day prize?
Prize Money
Today's Class 5 contest is worth £9,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £4,752 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £2,187 | 3rd: £1,093 | 4th: £547 | 5th: £272
TAUNTON 14:16 – LATEST ODDS
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 14:16 to watch Diamond Days' next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track on X (@CRCofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
Having made his last three starts over fences with varied results, trainer Joe Tizzard has decided to send Diamond Days back over hurdles today in what will be his fifth run of the season. His first run of this campaign came over hurdles and he finished third, albeit well detached from the first two home. His chasing debut went far better when coming home in fourth place and just two lengths behind the winner.
WATCH: Freddie Gingell full of praise for Diamond Days following his chase debut at Lingfield
His next two runs over fences came on heavy and then soft ground, and although he doesn't mind ease in the surface, the conditions didn't seem to suit him over the bigger obstacles and may have been the reason why he struggled to jump as fluently as we'd have hoped for.
Diamond Days' best career result to date came at Lingfield over hurdles where he finished second in a Novices' Limited Handicap and that certainly bodes well as we look forward to today's race. The ground at Taunton is currently soft and the entry conditions of the race are the same as that day at Lingfield.
Today's race is full of opponents who are yet to win over hurdles, including our very own Diamond Days, but Cooler Than Me for Fergal and Fern O'Brien comes into the contest looking to make it a hat-trick of wins having won back-to-back races, including his most recent victory over course and distance on heavy ground. Although Cooler Than Me is the only winner over hurdles in the field, All Night Parking comes into today as a two-time point-to-point winner and Talap has tasted victory on the flat on six separate occasions.
Trainer, Joe Tizzard, explains the decision to send Diamond Days back over hurdles and how he feels heading into the contest
"We had the choice of a chase at Wincanton or this race over hurdles, and we felt the hurdles option was the better choice. Having seen the final declarations, I'm happy we've gone down this route. The betting says Fergal O'Brien's horse [Cooler Than Me] will be hard to beat, he was impressive winning here last time, but has gone up nine pounds as a result, although the rider's claim will help.
Of the rest though, I don't think there is too much to be afraid of, and I think our fellow has a really good each-way chance. His last run over hurdles was encouraging, and if I'm being honest, it hasn't quite worked out over fences as I'd have hoped, but he's still a young horse and we've not given up on him as a chaser by any means.
He'll cope with the soft going no problem, and he should find it easier jumping hurdles than fences in ground like this. We've put cheekpieces on him, I don't think he's in any way ungenuine or anything, but they can often just sharpen a horse up, help him concentrate, and it's good to try something a bit different.
I'm not saying today's the day he'll break his maiden tag, but I do think he goes there with plenty in his favour, and hopefully he can pick up decent prize money for his owners."
Pipped At The Post – Member Exclusive
As a Coral Racing Club member, thanks to our Pipped At The Post offer, once you opt-in, you could be paid as a WINNER in CASH up to a stake of £/€10 if your horse finishes 2nd by a neck or less behind the winner in today's 14:16 at Taunton – click here to find out more.
Exclusive Price Boost on Diamond Days to win
Tap below to head over to the 14:16 Taunton racecard and check out your exclusive price boost on Diamond Days to win
Racing TV Analyst, Chris Dixon, looks in depth at today's hurdle race at Taunton and tells us what he thinks of Diamond Days' chances in the contest
After a reasonably encouraging chase debut at Lingfield in November, Diamond Days has been a bit disappointing in two subsequent starts over fences so it’s not really a surprise to see him line up over smaller obstacles here. The upside of his below par runs is his handicap mark has dropped to an attractive level, now 4lbs lower than when third at Fontwell on his last hurdles run. Whether this track is a bit sharp for him might be a concern but he has at least run well over shorter distances and he may well be sharpened up by the application of cheek pieces for the first time. All things considered he looks to have a sound chance of getting competitive, though he may struggle to deal with the progressive Cooler Than Me.
Chasing a hat-trick following wins at Market Rasen and over this course and distance last time, Cooler Than Me has to defy a 9lbs rise in the weights but he is unbeaten in handicaps having started out on a very lenient mark and the way he won last time suggests the extra burden won’t be enough to stop him if in the same form. Talap was second to him last time and gets a pull at the weights but that doesn’t seem likely to be enough to reverse the form so it could be that Diamond Days is the biggest threat to the favourite.
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Joe Tizzard has been in good form of late recording two winners from his last six runners and a total of four winners in the past two weeks. Taunton is a track that Joe has a good record at so far in his career so hopefully he can add to his tally of 15 winners today with Diamond Days.
Brendan Powell is the stable jockey for Joe Tizzard so as you'd expect his form reflects that of Joe's. All three of Brendan's winners from the past 14 days have been for the Tizzard team, including Champion Hurdle contender, Alexei, who won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton just under two weeks ago.
Diamond Days' Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Diamond Days' run at Taunton this afternoon.
Diamond Days with two of his Owners for the Day ahead of his last run at Lingfield
What's included in this Owner for the Day prize?
- Free racecourse entry
- Access to the Owners & Trainers enclosure
- Access to the Parade Ring before the race
- Meet Diamond Days and the Joe Tizzard team
- Take home a 10% share of any prize money he wins
Prize Money
Today's Class 5 contest is worth £9,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £4,752 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £2,187 | 3rd: £1,093 | 4th: £547 | 5th: £272
TAUNTON 14:16 – LATEST ODDS
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 14:16 to watch Diamond Days' next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.
Share
