The Racing Horse offers our Chepstow NH Racecourse Template for Saturday 11 October 2024. There is a 7-race card and the second day of the 3-day Welsh Racing Festival, the going is expected to be good, good to firm in places.

ALL the WINNERS can be found HERE!

CHEPSTOW FAVOURITES (5 seasons)
Non-handicap                   Handicap
Hurdle 65-131   50%   +2.82    36-120   30%   -21.37
Chase  6-12     50%   -2.09    50-150   33%    -8.53
NHF    17-46    37%   -6.70    0-0	 	
TOTAL  88-189   47%   -5.97    86-270   32%   -29.90

TOP 5 TRAINERS at Chepstow (last 5 seasons)  +/-   E
Paul Nicholls (23%)  44-194   23%   -72.12   +0%   4
Evan Williams (11%)  25-231   11%   -17.12   +0%   2
Fergal O'Brien (18%) 16-114   14%   -19.77   -4%   4
Dan Skelton (18%)    15-146   10%   -74.07   -8%   7
Sam Thomas (19%)     13-68    19%    +3.84   +0%   0
    
TOP 5 JOCKEYS at Chepstow (last 5 seasons)   +/-   R
Harry Cobden (23%)    38-146  26%   -29.62   +3%   4
Ben Jones (15%)       21-99   21%   +64.55   +6%   2
Adam Wedge (11%)      18-161  11%   -34.35   +0%   3
Gavin Sheehan (18%)   16-72   22%   +12.11   +4%   2
Jonjo O'Neill (15%)   15-100  15%   -25.69   +0%   1

Sean Bowen (21%)       9-90   10%   -50.19  -11%   5
James Bowen (17%)      6-54   11%   -24.75   -6%   4

TOP 5 OWNERS at Chepstow (last 5 seasons)    +/-   E
David Brace (13%)     8-33   24%   +21.25   +11%   1
Walters Plant (21%)   8-41   20%    +5.27    -1%   0
John P McManus (18%)  8-63   13%   -13.18    -5%   1
William Rucker (10%)  6-50   12%   -18.50    +2%   0
Colm Donlon (20%)     4-11   36%   +11.75   +16%   0
    
Upcoming Chepstow Fixtures:
Saturday 11 October 2025
Sunday 12 October 2025
Wednesday 5 November 2025

What are RACECOURSE TEMPLATES?	
The importance of NATIONAL AVERAGES	

FAVOURITES: Chepstow is a punter friendly racecourse. The last 5 seasons show 174 winning favourites from 459 races for 37.91% for a level stake loss of -35.87. The strike is around +5% above the national average. Non-handicap winning favourites score at 47% whilst those handicap winning favourites record 32% for a 15% differential. 

BEST CATEGORY: Winning favourites in non-handicap hurdles 65-131 for 50% (+2.82)
WORST CATEGORY: Winning favourites in handicap hurdles 36-120 for 30% (-21.37) 

TRAINERS: Paul Nicholls (23%) is the top trainer at the course, and replicates his national average here. On Saturday he has 3 runners including TREASURE PLANET 1.35, CLOTILDA 4.00 & PADDY DE POLE 5.10

Dan Skelton (18%) came to the Festival fully determined to be top trainer. After a frustrating first day, he recorded just 1 winner but 3 second places. He runs another 7 tomorrow, with 5 entered in the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (£39,023 to the winner). They include ICE JET 1.35, WEST TO THE BRIDGE, JOYEUX MACHIN, SHE'S A SAINT, ROYAL INFANTRY & TAKE NO CHANCES 3.20 and TRANQUIL SEA 5.10

There are 4 trainers on the cold list. Collectively they are now 0-114 so worth noting, they include:

• Nigel Hawke (8%) 0-44 (177 days)
• Killahena & McPherson (16%) 0-28 (158 days)
• Evan Williams (11%) 0-23 (40 days)
• Christian Williams (10%) 0-19 (50 days)

JOCKEYS: Harry Cobden (23%) is top jockey at the course, scoring +3% above his national average. Cannot see an obvious winner from his 3 rides, though TREASURE PLANET 1.35 is of interest, though the favourite looks hard to beat based on debut win and strength and form of yard.

Sean (21%) and James Bowen (18%), both got on the scoresheet on the first day as anticipated, the feeling is both will score again before the end of the Festival.

GREEN FLAG: The first race on the card is a Juvenile Hurdle (Class 4) for 3yos and the market will tell us everything. Of the 11 runners, 8 are unraced over hurdles, but we do have a debut winner in AMMES for James Owen (23%) in the line up and he carries a 7lb penalty for his win at Sedgefield on good ground. He was backed as if defeat was out of the question (4/7 into 1/3) and won easily by 5l. The trainer is brilliant with his Novices and to date scored 37-124 for a big 30% (+0.73). Juvenile hurdlers are age-specific (but technically novices too), whilst Novice hurdlers are experience-restricted.

Interesting in that Owen sent Ammes 220-miles to win at Sedgefield from his Newmarket stable, and now sends his charge almost 200-miles to Chepstow. Sean Bowen rides the horse again, and his combination with the trainer shows 28-81 for 35% (-4.45). Without seeing the market, the team might have to beat an interesting sort in Treasure Planet (formerly with Donnacha O'Brien) for Paul Nicholls who receives 7lbs. Lunar Orbit (W Greatrex) reopposes Ammes (beaten 5l), but hard to see that one turning the tables despite the penalty.

TRH thought the information contained within our template was excellent on the first day of this Welsh Racing Festival. Hopefully we can maintain this standard through Saturday and Sunday. Many thanks for the kind words received...

Mick Fitzgerald talks about Chepstow Racecourse

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

CHEPSTOW RACECOURSE - WHAT'S ON