The latest betting odds, date and start time for this weekend’s two-day Jump Season Opener at Chepstow racecourse.
October is like advent for Jump racing fans; it is the countdown to the start of the new National Hunt season. There are many important dates this month which mark the gradual handing over of the baton from Flat to Jumps.
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Ascot starts putting up hurdles and fences on its run-in after Champions Day (21st October), featuring the Champion Stakes, while jump racing’s HQ Cheltenham returns with its two-day Showcase meeting (27-28th October). However, perhaps the first indicator of the new campaign is this weekend's Chepstow’s Jump Season opener.
Taking place on Friday and Saturday every year in October, the two-day meeting forms the majority of the three-day Big Welsh Racing Weekend which culminates at Ffos Las with the Welsh Champion Hurdle on Sunday.
With up to £400,000 of prize money on offer, it teases out some of the biggest names and fans are treated to some exciting prospects making their return.
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Chepstow Jump Season Opener Date and Start Time
The Jump Season Opener is due to take place at Chepstow racecourse from 1.35 on Friday 13th October and 1.55 Saturday 14th October.
Chepstow Jump Season Opener Odds
Friday’s Racing at Chepstow
Friday’s card is particularly special because it hosts the one-off Welsh Jump Jockey’s Derby prior to racing beginning. This race, over the classic distance of 1m 4f, features 12 of the best Welsh Jump jockeys including current leader in the Jump Jockeys Championship Sean Bowen.
It’s being run to raise money for the Welsh children’s cancer charity, Latch, who have been pivotal in supporting beloved trainer Christian Williams and his family after his daughter, Betsy, was diagnosed with leukaemia. Christian has entered his stable star Kitty’s Light, who completed an unimaginable hat-trick of marathon handicap chase wins last season in the Eider, Scottish Grand National and the Bet365 Gold Cup.
Afterwards, racing begins with a Veterans Handicap Chase featuring many treasured names including Ladbrokes Trophy winner De Rasher Counter, Cheltenham Festival placed (2021 Ultima Handicap Chase) and the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup runner Aye Right and last season’s Swinley Handicap Chase winner Cap Du Nord.
The feature of the day is the £50,000 Persian War Novice’s Hurdle which takes place at 2.10. The exciting Captain Teague, who was 3rd in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, makes his eagerly anticipated start to his novice hurdle campaign for the Paul Nicholls team.
The race has a prestigious list of past winners including two-time King George heroine Silviniaco Conti (2010), Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winner Blaklion (2014), and Grade 1 winners Secret Investor (2018) and Thyme Hill (2019). Captain Teague will be a warm favourite to join that honours list for team Ditcheat ahead of an exciting campaign. You can watch both races live on ITV4.
Aintree winner Hometown Boy is also entered in the Novice Handicap Chase at 3.23.
Saturday’s Racing at Chepstow
Saturday’s card is not short of quality itself. The Native River Handicap Chase takes place at 2.30 with past winners including the beloved Ballyoptic. At 3.10 we have a Listed Novices Chase run over 2m 3½f with Grade 1 winner Finian’s Oscar leading the catalogue of previous winners. Punters will be happy to see that Knappers Hill, who won the hereinafter Silver Trophy feature on the card last year before winning two Grade 2’s, makes his chasing debut.
However, the feature is the aforementioned £75,000 Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle which takes place at 4.15 and is run over 2m 3½f . The 2007 renewal saw Don’t Push It ,who famously gave A.P. McCoy his sole Grand National win in 2010, score by ½ length to subsequent Dipper Chase winner Lead On. Heading up this year’s entries include the Paul Nicholls trained Sonigino who was last seen finishing 3rd behind Fennor Cross at the Aintree Festival.
Ante Post Interests
In the Native River Handicap Chase at 2.30 on Saturday, Eva’s Oskar is an interesting entry for Tim Vaughan. A winner of a warm Premier Handicap at Cheltenham last term, the dream of Grand National glory perhaps tinted the reality that the horse didn’t quite yet possess the stamina for a marathon trip.
Back down to 3 miles, however, and over a course he’s won at three times, he may be hard to pass if fully tuned up 1st time out (has won on seasonal debut twice).
