It is a great time of year! I always get very excited about the start of the jumps season proper, as we begin to wrap up the Flat racing and see momentum begin to gather pace for the National Hunt action.
We are only just at the bottom of the mountain and raring to begin that climb, so here’s a few names to look out for at Chepstow on Saturday – live on Sky Sports Racing.
My Noble Lord
1:35 Champion Equestrian Juvenile Hurdle
We kick-start day two of the Jump Season Opener at Chepstow with an interesting juvenile contest. Rapid Mission represents last year’s winning owner, Mrs Kate Kenyon, after Balboa ran out a ready winner 12 months ago, with Seamus Mullins’ useful hurdler actually lining up in the second race on the card. Kotgar is bred by the Aga Khan and makes his first start for Evan Williams, while Alan King now switches Rakki from the Flat in search of his first success.
City Of London has a nice pedigree and is related to a yard favourite in Nemean Lion, however, this appears to be all about My Noble Lord in the famous JP McManus silks. The son of Noble Mission earned a rating of 83 on the Flat for Micheal Bell, and I feel he sets the benchmark here for the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero team, who are improving the quality of their stock all the time.
Liari
2:10 Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow 4-Y-O Hurdle
In the second race on the card, I’m excited about the return of Liari. I’m a big fan of this horse and loved seeing him progress last season for Paul Nicholls. The Cracksman gelding is uncomplicated and could potentially make all here. Things didn’t go to plan for him in the Boodles at Cheltenham, with his jumping lacking any real fluency and Harry Cobden eventually pulling him up, but I’m looking forward to seeing him back out in this spot.
He was meant to run at this meeting last year before being pulled out on account of the heavy ground, though he actually went on to score in similar conditions at Aintree and seems effective on most surfaces. I know Nicholls hasn’t had the strongest start to the two-day meeting, but I’m not concerned about Liari on his return as he usually goes well fresh.
Cuthbert Dibble
2:45 Tom Malone Bloodstock Novices’ Chase
Unexpected Party landed this Listed event last year for Dan and Harry Skelton, so Boombawn may well be the one to return to winning ways for the same stable, but I’m finding it hard to oppose Nigel Twiston-Davies runners at the moment, as his yard are in super form at present, with Sam Twiston-Davies riding plenty of winners away from their runners too.
Cuthbert Dibble represents them here, with the six-year-old having won at the track at the end of January after a break before following up at Haydock the following month. He was highly tried on his final two outings, with his run in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival particularly exciting. Physically, the son of Kayf Tara presents himself as a chaser, so I’m excited to see what he has to offer tackling larger obstacles for the first time.
Into The Park
3:20 Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle
The Silver Trophy looks as competitive as ever, with a particularly open look to it. However, Into The Park is a horse I am very keen to see in the parade ring beforehand. The five-year-old is having his first race since carrying a big weight to finish fourth at Newbury back in March, where he was trying this trip (2m3f) for the first time.
Before that effort he produced two excellent performances to win at the same track and Taunton, both over 2m½f, but I still think he’s sitting on a competitive mark here, especially on his second attempt over this distance.
Holokea
5:10 Unibet Open NH Flat Race
Finally, we close the card with a bumper, and while Paul Nicholls has a good record in the race and is represented by the useful-looking Keel Strand – runner-up on his sole start in an Irish point-to-point – I’m keen to have an each-way play on Holokea for the red-hot team of Peter and James Bowen.
Flying Fortune was an excellent winner for the yard in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle on Friday, so fingers crossed their form continues here with their game Worcester winner, who should have more to come in this sphere.
Watch Chepstow live on Sky Sports Racing…