The Racing Horse will be covering all 3-days of the WELSH RACING FESITVAL (Friday 10 August to Sunday 12 August). This celebration of Welsh Racing promises to be something truly special! Whether you're a seasoned punter or just soaking up the festival vibes, we’ll be your companion through every race, every twist, and every triumph. Expect all the pertinence, context and relevance you can handle, and a touch of racing nostalgia.

But first, we offer our insightful Chepstow Racecourse Template for Tuesday 19 August 2025. There is a 6-race card, containing 4 Handicaps and 2 Maiden Fillies' Race. The going is expected to be good, good to firm. As we go to post, only 38 runners compete in 6 races, so less than 7 per race. There has to be a winner for each race, and hopefully our template can sort the contenders from the pretenders.

CHEPSTOW RACECOURSE WHAT'S ON

CHEPSTOW FAVOURITES (5 years)
Non-handicap                   Handicap
2yo	17-42	40%   -4.90    5-16	31%    -0.30
3yo	22-43	51%   -5.27    39-96	41%    +6.73
4yo+	3-9	33%   +3.25    75-227	33%    -5.09
TOTAL	42-94	45%   -6.92    119-339	35%    +1.34

TOP 5 TRAINERS at Chepstow last 5 years      +/-   E
John O'Shea (9%)    20-150   13%   -25.87    +4%   1
Archie Watson (14%) 16-62    26%   +26.23   +12%   2
Chris Mason (15%)   16-90    18%    -6.66    +3%   2
David Evans (11%)   16-109   15%    +6.75    +4%   1
Rod Millman (12%)   15-103   15%   -10.16    +3%   0
  
TOP 6 JOCKEYS at Chepstow last 5 years       +/-   R
Hollie Doyle (14%)   27-94   29%   +20.91   +14%   0     
Gina Mangan (11%)    25-160  16%    +0.28    +5%   3
Saffie Osborne (12%) 14-67   21%    -8.80   +11%   4
Charles Bishop (9%)  12-76   16%    +1.00    +7%   0    
Cal Hutchinson (9%)  12-92   13%    -5.04    +4%   0
David Probert (13%)  12-114  11%   -58.24    -2%   0  
    
TOP 5 OWNERS at Chepstow last 5 years        +/-   E 
Cross Racing Club (10%)	9-51   18%   -2.37   +8%   0 
P & A de Weck (8%)      6-46   13%  -20.95   +5%   0
Carisbay Blood (8%)     5-23   22%   +5.83  +14%   0    
Mrs E Evans (16%)       4-13   31%  +25.50  +15%   0
C Mason Racing (16%)    4-14   29%   +7.37  +13%   1

Upcoming Chepstow Fixtures:
Monday 25 August 2025
Tuesday 2 September 2025

CHEPSTOW CONFIGURATION: Left handed, undulating. Oval-shaped track, about two miles in extent, with a run-in of 5 furlongs. All races at up to a mile are run on the straight course. While not an out-and-out galloping course, owing to the pronounced undulations, the track puts the emphasis on stamina almost regardless of ground.

FAVOURITES: Chepstow is a particularly good course for favourites! The past 5 years show 161-433 for 37.18% and a small loss of -5.58 to level stakes. The strike rate is around +5% of the national average. Best category from a strike rate perspective are 3yo winning favourites in non-handicaps, scoring 22-43 for a big 51% (-5.27). Incredibly, handicap winning favourites across all ages, produce a level stake profit showing 119-339 for 35% (+1.34).

TRAINERS: Top trainer at the track is John O'Shea (9%) and he has one runner in the C&D winner LETTER OF THE LAW 8.00. This 6yo gelding has won 4 races from 62 starts, and is to be ridden by Jay Mackay who claims 7lb, meaning he will carry just 8st 4lb.

Archie Watson (13%) scores 26% at Chepstow and has a runner of interest in HIGH ESTEEM 6.00. However, the booking of jockey William Cox (5%) does not raise the pulse and he looks best watched. In part-contradiction, the jockey has his best winning total at this course, scoring 17-205 for 8%. 

Charlie Hills (14%) is currently 0-23 with his 2yos this year. He runs KALOKALO 6.30 and Saffie Osborne rides. The form should not be taken literally given he only had 5 2yo winners in 2024, but he remains on 0 winners and August is over half-way through! By the way, the colt Kakokalo has form figures of 66 from his two runs to date but that also read LL given he has not beaten a rival home so far.

JOCKEYS: Very interesting to see Tom Marquand (15%) with 5 rides including BERLINETTA 5.30 (W Haggas), JEDDAAL 6.00, OVER SPICED 6.30, SAFFREDI 7.00 & MIDSUMMER MUSIC 8.00. He scores 36% on winning favourites - stop at a winner?

Saffie Osborne (12%) had a disappointing Chepstow Racing League and registered a 0-7 for 0%. She has 3 rides for this meeting, will she will record 0-10? Her rides include KALOKALO 6.30, ZOULU WARRIOR 6.30 & MOONLIGHT BOMB 8.00

Gina Mangan (10%) has 2 rides including PEARL'S EDGE 6.30 & OUTER EDGE 7.00, both trained by Chris Mason.

OWNERS: Chris Mason Racing (16%) has a single runner (as an owner) in PEARL'S EDGE 6.30. The owner scores 29% here so always worth processing his runners, but this 5yo mare has only had 4 runs to date, suggesting a problem along the way. But, she has one piece of good form at Windsor so a market check is advised, though she will not carry our money.

RED FLAG: In a grade and contextual sense, John & Sean Quinn (10%) bring 2 interesting runners to Chepstow in SOCA STAR 5.30 & HIGHFIELD VIKING 7.30. Previously, the team have only sent 2 runners to the course before, recording a second and third place, they look ready to strike on this occasion, and make the 225-mile trip from Norton in North Yorkshire worthwhile! Both will be ridden by the in-form Jason Hart (12%) who shows 11 winners over the past 14 days at 21%.

SOCA STAR 5.30 is a 2yo Starman filly who has already ran 5 times since her debut in May. She has been a favourite in two of those races and in Class 2 and then a Class 4, today is a Class 5. To the naked eye, it looks as though the team might have been in a bit of rush with her and tried her too highly, so as long as she has recovered from her exertions, this looks her best chance. Suffice it to say, the team will be desperate for Soca Star to break her maiden tag and then give her some time off the track.

HIGHFIELD VIKING 7.30 is a 5yo Acclaim gelding, and a very easy 4¼l last time out winner at Ayr under Jason Hart in a Class 6 handicap. That race was a career best, today is a weak Class 5 over the same 7f trip and looks well-in. Team Quinn have their horses well and scored 4-25 for 16% for August, aiding confidence about their chances tomorrow. As always it will be interesting to see what the market makes of their respective chances.

5.30: Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Class 5) 5f16y

• WINNING FAVOURITES: 40%
• BERLINETTA (W Haggas) 260,000gns Pinatubo filly, trainer in great form 33-99 for 33% last month, improvement to come, drops from Class 3 to Class 5, Tom Marquand rides and 36% on favourites
• SOCA STAR (J & S Quinn) placed in much higher grade, beaten as 6/4f in a Class 4 so top rated. Long traveller 225-miles, Jason Hart rides

6.00: Download The Racecourse App Raceday Ready EBF Maiden Stake (Class 5) 7f16y

• WINNING FAVOURITES: 40%
• GYPSY BEAT (R Beckett) trainer in great form, 8 2yo winners at 19% this year, races here instead of Lingfield on Thursday. Trainer +£12.57 with debutants. Hector Crouch rides
• JEDDAAL (E Walker) took a big step forward from debut when 2nd last time. Trainer 4 2yo winners but 13 second places this year, Tom Marquand rides and 36% on favourites

6.30: Tips For Every Race At raceday-ready.com Handicap (Class 6) 5f16y

• OVER SPICED (G Harris) C&D winner, beaten favourite last time out, continues in good form and trainer won this race last year. Tom Marquand rides and 36% on favourites
• SAVANNAH SMILES (G Harris) C&D winner, 3-times course winner. Latest win here in July. Good 2 of 11 in Brighton handicap 13 days ago. Callum Hutchinson rides

7.00: BetWright All Bun & Games Handicap (Class 6) 6f16y

• WINNING FAVOURITES: 33%
• SAFFREDI (G Harris) beaten favourite last time out, Tom Marquand rides
• OUTER EDGE (C Mason) C&D winner, first time visor might help. Gina Mangan rides

7.30: Get The Inside Track With raceday-ready.com Handicap (Class 5) 7f16y

• WINNING FAVOURITES: 33%
• HIGHFIELD VIKING (J & S Quinn) last time out winner and career best, looks well in under a 5lb penalty, long traveller 225-miles. Jason Hart rides
• BELIEVE YOU ME (H Main) 3-time C&D winner, back on scoreboard at Epsom (7f) last month, posted respectable 4 of 13 (off 6 lb higher) here since. Might have to settle for second place, Alec Voikhansky (3) rides

8.00: BetWright Safer Gambling Handicap (Class 6) 1m14y

• MIDSUMMER MUSIC (R Teal) back down to last winning mark and should be straighter for recent return at Windsor. Trainer just 1-28 for 4% at Chepstow but 6 second places and 6 third places. Significant jockey booking as Tom Marquand rides
• MOONLIGHT BOMB (J Osborne) lightly-raced maiden, found improvement when 3 of 14 in Kempton handicap (8f) last month, player on that run. Saffie Osborne rides