By David Williams
Chepstow Racecourse hosts its annual Military Raceday at the track on Wednesday as part of an action-packed eight-race Jumps card.
Racing gets underway at 12.20pm with a conditional jockeys’ handicap chase before the card comes to a close at 4.05pm as ten runners take on the class five bumper contest.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full meeting preview of Chepstow’s card courtesy of Sporting Life.
The action gets underway at 12.20 as a field of ten take to the track for the class four handicap chase for conditional jockeys’ and open to horses aged four and older.
Idefix De Ciergues is taken to go a few spots better on his second start over the bigger fences here with an extra seven furlongs in his favour having been unsuited by the two-mile trip last time out at Ffos Las.
The season’s leading trainer @DSkeltonRacing has six runners with us this Wednesday 6th November – it is now an eight race card starting at 12.20pm, last race 4.05pm – https://t.co/EYrEMyzObW pic.twitter.com/U3R7NNEeyQ
— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) November 4, 2024
Ballybeen has placed in seven starts in this sphere, including twice at Chepstow, and is back after a lay-off and could go well at a track he enjoys.
Race two on the card is another ten-runner contest, this time in division one of the class four maiden hurdle (12.50).
Preference here heads the way of the aptly-named Royal Infantry, who is taken to bag a fourth career win on Military Raceday having looked a good prospect when eighth in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and should be well prepared for hurdles hailing from the powerful Dan Skelton yard.
The £205,000 purchase Salt Rock rates the main threat from the Kim Bailey team, showing progress when third in an Exeter novice hurdle when last seen.
Division two of the same discipline marks race three on the Chepstow card (1.20) where the progressive Tripoli Flyer, an excellent second in a Grade 2 at Aintree when last seen, is taken to get a second win of his career for trainer Fergal O’Brien and his first on debut over hurdles.
Jurancon, a winner of two bumpers, was second of 11 in a Worcester novice when sent hurdling for the first time and is a major player too.
A two-mile and three furlong maiden hurdle is race four of the afternoon at 1.50 and the slight edge goes to French Ship, a promising second over hurdles in a two-mile novice at this track last month.
The Skelton team have a strong hand however with Listed bumper winner Let It Rain, who has been off the track for ten months since landing that contest at Ascot and can get the job done here if she takes well to heading over obstacles for the first time.
Javert Allen for trainer Jane Williams looks the one to beat on chasing debut when the five-year-old lines up in race five (2.20) having ran well in a couple of hurdle outings last time and his half-brother successfully switching to chasing for the same team three years ago, while race six (2.55) can go to I’m On My Way for Neil Mulholland, a winner of three handicap starts including most recently 24 days ago at Ffos Las.
A big field of 18 will tackle the two mile and three furlong handicap hurdle in class five at 3.30 in the penultimate race of the Chepstow card where plenty are in with a shot.
The Cox Express is on a losing run but returned to some form with a second at Fontwell and his current mark of 82 looks a lenient one so he is given a slight nod ahead of recent Ffos Las winner Boston Joe, back over hurdles having won over fences 24 days ago at the Welsh track.
Finally, the card comes to a close with the traditional bumper (4.05) – a Flat race ran over Jumps rules – and preference in the finale heads the way of Choice Runner for the Skelton yard, a €95,000 gelding will related to two winners, including a bumper winner and useful hurdler in Penn Lane.
Chepstow selections – Wednesday
12.20 – Idefix De Ciergues
12.50 – Royal Infantry
1.20 – Tripoli Flyer
1.50 – French Ship
2.20 – Javert Allen
2.55 – On My Way
3.30 – The Cox Express
4.05 – Choice Runner