Taunton – 17th January 2026
Inside Angle: October Hill Looks Overpriced
There’s a few in here with solid claims, but it looks a race where the market may have this slightly wrong at the prices.
Olly Murphy’s Harbour Island is the obvious one and looks like the one to beat. He brings the strongest recent form into the race and, on paper, sets the standard. If he runs his race, he’s going to take plenty of beating.
That said, this might not be as straightforward as it looks.
October Hill is the one that makes the most appeal at the prices.
David Pipe has only had him a short time, and his run here on December 30th in a Class 1 was better than it looks on paper. To finish fourth in that company after only being with the yard for a week suggests there’s definitely more to come.
This is a big drop in class into a Class 4, and the step up in trip looks likely to suit based on how he shaped last time. He didn’t look short of ability that day, more a case of just needing the run and experience in his new surroundings.
There’s also a feeling that he’ll be sharper for that run, and this looks like a much more realistic opportunity.
At around 14/1, he looks overpriced. I was hoping we might get a bit bigger, but even so, in this type of race, that still looks more than fair.
If the favourite runs to form, he’ll be hard to beat — but in a race like this, I can’t see October Hill being far away, and he looks the one to be on at the prices.
Selection: October Hill (14/1)
