The Racing Horse offers our Chepstow Racecourse Template for Tuesday 31 October 2023). There is an 8-race card and going is currently good to soft, soft in places. Weather: mostly dry with afternoon showers.

CHEPSTOW FAVOURITES (5 years)
Non-handicap                   Handicap
Hurdle 61-120   51%   +4.64    31-110   28%   -19.42
Chase  8-17     47%   -2.57    50-143   35%    +0.44
NHF    12-43    28%  -12.31    0-0	 	
TOTAL  81-180   45%  -10.24    81-253   32%   -18.98

TOP 5 TRAINERS at Chepstow last 5 years      +/-   E
Paul Nicholls (24%)  52-201   26%   -33.60   +2%   4
Evan Williams (11%)  24-219   11%   -27.37   +0%   8
Jonjo O'Neill (15%)  16-120   13%   -39.04   -2%   2
Fergal O'Brien (19%) 15-115   13%   -43.52   -5%   7
Dan Skelton (18%)    13-120   11%   -36.93   -7%   5

TOP 5 TRAINERS at Chepstow for 2022/2023     +/-   E
Paul Nicholls (24%)  14-63   22%   -18.44    -2%   4
Jonjo O'Neill (15%)  8-45    18%    +6.53    +3%   2
Evan Williams (11%)  8-56    14%   +13.75    +3%   8
Fergal O'Brien (19%) 5-33    15%    -6.16    -4%   7
Olly Murphy (17%)    4-24    17%    -7.46    +0%   0

HOT TRAINERS 01/09/2023 to 30/10/2023        +/-   E
Kerry Lee (18%)	    2-4	    50%	   +2.00    +32%   1
S Thomas (21%)      4-9	    44%	   -0.50    +23%   2
Hobbs & White (20%) 5-16    31%    -1.00    +11%   1
N T-Davies (14%)    17-55   31%	   -3.00    +17%   3
R Llewellyn (14%)   4-13    31%	   +7.82    +17%   1
E Lavelle (15%)     9-30    30%	   -2.00    +15%   1
K Bailey (16%)	    5-17    29%	   +3.60    +13%   3
B Brookhouse (27%)  6-22    27%	   -2.20     +0%   1
A Honeyball (20%)   3-11    27%	   -1.00     +7%   3
P Nicholls (24%)    13-48   27%	   -4.20     +3%   4
 
COLD LIST TRAINERS      SAW                        E
Christian Williams (9%)  41     66 days            1
Sean Curran (10%)         8    200 days            2                      

TOP 5 JOCKEYS at Chepstow last 5 years       +/-   R
Harry Cobden (23%)  37-140   26%   -41.95    +3%   4  
Adam Wedge (13%)    17-149   11%   -18.37    -2%   7  
Jonjo O'Neill (16%) 15-100   15%   -25.63    +0%   1
Paddy Brennan (20%) 14-70    20%    +5.47    +0%   2
Ben Jones (14%)	    12-61    20%   +15.11    +6%   3

TOP 5 JOCKEYS at Chepstow for 2022/2023      +/-   R
Harry Cobden (23%)  11-42   26%	    -6.59    +3%   4
Jonjo O'Neill (16%) 9-39    23%	   +14.44    +7%   1
Adam Wedge (13%)    6-46    13%	   -17.25    +0%   7
Paddy Brennan (20%) 5-18    28%	    +8.83    +8%   2
Shane Quinlan (7%)  4-9	    44%	   +24.75   +37%   0

HOT JOCKEYS 01/10/2023 to 30/10/2023         +/-   R
I Williams (12%)     3-10    30%    +5.50   +18%   1
S T-Davies (15%)     17-59   29%    -5.00   +14%   4
D Bass (16%)	     5-18    28%    +3.60   +12%   2
N De Boinville (22%) 4-15    27%    -1.00    +5%   1
L Harrison (15%)     5-19    26%    -2.80   +11%   4
L Williams (12%)     3-13    23%    -5.20   +11%   1
T Bellamy (11%)	     8-35    23%    -3.00   +12%   2
 
COLD LIST JOCKEYS  SAW                             R
C Gethings (9%)	    29     49 days                 1          
                           
TOP 5 OWNERS at Chepstow last 5 years        +/-   E 
William Rucker (14%) 11-56   20%    +2.12    +6%   2
John P McManus (17%) 10-63   16%    +7.40    -1%   1
Colm Donlon (26%)    6-13    46%   +12.93   +20%   0
K & A Brooks (19%)   5-12    42%   +10.87   +23%   0
David Brace (12%)    5-23    22%    +8.00   +10%   0

TOP 5 OWNERS at Chepstow for 2022/2023       +/-   E 
William Rucker (14%) 4-20    20%    -2.75    +6%   2
John P McManus (17%) 4-25    16%    -3.34    -1%   1
Walters Plant (18%)  3-14    21%    +1.30    +3%   1
C & H Pelham (37%)   2-2    100%    +1.63   +63%   0
Barrowman Rac (50%)  2-2    100%    +2.15   +50%   0

Chepstow Fixtures:
Tuesday 31 October 2023
Wednesday 8 November 2023
Friday 24 November 2023
Saturday 9 December 2023

CHEPSTOW CONFIGURATION: Chepstow is a left-handed, undulating, oval course, nearly two miles around with eleven fences to a circuit, a five-furlong home straight and a run-in of 250 yards. Conditions can be very testing. With five fences in the straight, the first part of which is downhill, front runners - or those leading into the straight - do well here, especially over shorter distances, and the fences don't claim the number of casualties that might be expected.

FAVOURITES: Chepstow is a punter friendly racecourse. The last 5 years show 162-433 for 37.41% so +5% above the national average. Non-handicap winning favourites score 81-180 for 45% whilst handicap winning favourites score 81-253 for 32%.

TRAINERS: Paul Nicholls (24%) is top trainer at Chepstow where he strikes at 26% so +2% above his national average. On Tuesday he has 4 runners, they are: ONETHREEFIVENOTOUT 12.25, DON'T TELL SU & BYORDEROFTHECOURT 12.55 and CAPTAIN BELLAMY 4.16

Interesting Nicky Henderson (21%) sends just one in the unraced JUNGLE WOOD 4.16 to Chepstow to run in the bumper and jockey Nico De Boinville's only ride of the day. Henderson has a moderate record at the course showing 6-45 for 13% (-15.63) but the trainer is 25% in NHF races and he is 2-7 for 29% (+1.25) in these races at Chepstow, so one to look at!

Christian Williams (9%) is in the doldrums and on our cold list. He is currently 0-35 over a period of 66 days and has one runner at the meeting. His last winner was in August and scores just 3-67 for 4% at the course though he did win a Welsh Grand National. He runs PLANNED PARADISE 1.30 and a beaten favourite last time out. If we can forgive the form of the trainer he looks to have a place chance because the trainer is 26% with staying chasers and +£43.83 when one runner at a meeting (chasers), Jamie Moore rides.

JOCKEYS: Harry Cobden is top jockey at Chepstow scoring at a big 26% so +3% above his national average, he has 4 rides.

OWNERS: Mr & Mrs William Rucker (14%) are the top owners at Chepstow and have 2 runners including CAN YOU CALL 3.15 & SAINT VIC 4.16. Hard to see either winning though both are trained by Evan Williams. 

J P McManus (17%) has just the one runner for this meeting in KAP QUEST 4.16 trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Jonathan Burke. The trainer is 8-41 for 20% at the course but importantly 3-5 for 60% (+7.25) at Chepstow with his NHF runners, so one to process!

RED FLAG: There are 12 last time out beaten favourites racing at this meeting. What's more, the trainers involved are of some calibre with some of them in excellent form - the suggestion is one of those will win this time given their previous betting market support! The runners include ALCEDO 12.25 (Venetia Williams), DOMAINE DE L'ISLE 1.30  (Sean Curran), PLANNED PARADISE 1.30 (Christian Williams), TO BE SURE 1.30 (Evan Williams), KYM EYRE 2.05 (Evan Williams), CARDANO 2.40 (Ben Brookhouse), UNCLE ARTHUR 2.40 (Fergal O'Brien), NOCTE VOLATUS 3.15  (Tom Lacey), THE KING OF RYHOPE 3.15 (Dan Skelton), BERT WILSON 3.45 (Nigel Hawke), DUKE OF MORAVIA 3.45 (Henry Daly) & HATOS 3.45 (Anthony Honeyball).

Record times for Chepstow are very quick, which shows how slick it can be when the ground is fast, but horses can finish strung out like washing when it gets soft. Punters really must take note of conditions then, if they’re having a bet, because horses with stamina limitations can get home when the going is right for them, while it can be a real slog when it’s heavy. The other things to consider seriously are the undulations and the downhill run from the last. If you walk round the course, for example, you’ll be aware that, from several places out in the country, you can’t see the stands. The run-in, on the other hand, is quite steeply downhill, very quick on fast ground, and that’s why you often see horses make a mistake at the final jump - Mick Fitzgerald