Jake Price's Chepstow Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle Ante-Post Tip

MASKED MAN 1pt EW (4 Places, ¼ Odds) @ 12/1

A new BHA change to the ‘Premier’ Handicap programme in Britain this season means that all such races are now subject to early closing entries. With the Silver Trophy at Chepstow upgraded to Premier status this year we duly received entries for the race on the 22nd September, and this week some bookmakers have started to price up the race following the weights being published. I think this small change is a big positive as it opens up new opportunities for Ante-Post betting this season, owing to the fact we should have markets for all of the Premier Handicaps much further in advance than 6 days before the race.

I already had a good scan through the Silver Trophy entries when they were initially revealed, and noted down a few potential Horses for the shortlist. Once the prices come out it makes it much easier to narrow that list down further however, and MASKED MAN stands tall above the remainder at this stage, with an opening price of 12/1 looking extremely generous for this 5yo who surely has plenty more to give - especially at this time of year.

Trained by Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, this easy Irish point-to-point winner began his career under rules twelve months ago in a 2m Novices’ Hurdle on the Friday of Chepstow’s Welsh Racing Festival. He bounced out in front, made all of the running, and returned a very easy 12 length winner. He clearly was trained to be fit enough to do himself justice on debut, and backers never had a moment of doubt. What the form of that race really means is up for debate considering he got handed a very easy lead, but the Horse in second Blue Carpet is now rated 132 having improved for stepping up in distance in subsequent starts.

Next on the agenda for this talented half-brother to Batman Girac was the Grade 2 Newton Novices' Hurdle at Haydock on Betfair Chase day, where he was a notable drifter in the market from a fairly short opening price, out to an SP of 11/4. He did not run like he was no longer fancied however, as once again he went forward - taking up the running after the third flight. Down the straight himself and Diamond Hunter (135) pulled nicely clear, and he just lost out in a good battle when probably just not having the gears to quicken any further. Chris Gordon’s winner has unfortunately not been seen again since due to a hot spot on his bone which required time to heal, but connections think he is pretty smart, and are looking forward to sending him Novice Chasing this season. It probably was not a bad Horse to be beaten by, and it is notable that the third Sticktotheplan (142) was a further 3.75 lengths behind.

MASKED MAN finally stepped up in distance to 2m3½f at Lingfield in December, but it wasn’t much of a contest considering he was sent off the 1/14f. He did at least bolt up on the bridle though, with JJ Slevin afforded the luxury of significantly easing him down towards the finish. He rounded out his season at the Aintree Festival in April, but presumably there was some sort of issue in the interim period - as he was off the track for 119 days and Cheltenham Trials Day had previously been spoken about as being on the agenda. Ultimately he was well beaten in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle when finishing 9th in the driving rain, but I am happy to put a line through that performance considering the yard as a whole struggled during the month of April, with only 2 winners from 34 runners.

As we well know, the time to catch the Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies stable is during the Autumn, as they almost always seem to get their string fit and ready to go first time out. In October 2025 the stable recorded 15 winners from 63 runners for a 24% strike rate, which matched their September 2025 strike rate where they recorded 4 winners from 17 runners. If September 2026 is anything to go by then they could be even more prolific this season, as they managed to record a very impressive 7 winners from 20 runners for a 35% strike rate. Considering they got this lad ready to rock and roll first time up last season, it would be no surprise if it has been a bit of a long-term plan to get him ready for the Silver Trophy off a Handicap mark of 132. The only slight complication is that the yard has also entered Glynn Brae who I would not fancy off a mark of 136, but perhaps that will be Sam Twiston-Davies’ ride if JJ Slevin comes over to ride our selection.

Overall, the initial entries for the Silver Trophy look decent enough, and Dan Skelton’s Le Beau Madrik will be fancied by many. I very much dislike that he won by so far at Haydock in April however as it completely blew his mark – going up 12lbs in the Handicap following a bloodless victory. A new official rating of 137 may well still underestimate his ability, but there is little value in his price of 6/1 at this juncture.

Wellington Arch is up a further 7lbs after his Aintree victory for which I already didn't feel he was particularly well treated for, whilst Daylatedollarshort went up 5lbs for his Punchestown Festival second – but prior to that I am unsure he really has shown a level of form good enough to be winning a race like this. Pioneer Pete is another I can leave at this stage, as he has been running through the Summer and would probably need the ground to be rattling fast in order to scare away some of the sexier opposition.

The obvious Horse who I would like to have on side should he turn up is Came From Nowhere, but considering he was a non-runner on three occasions last season due to quicker ground, I cannot see a world in which he gets a sufficient surface to take up this engagement. Should I be proven wrong then I will certainly reassess my position closer to the time, but for now I am very happy taking the early price about our selection.