Return of the jumps: Chepstow and sun

The forecast is set fair for Chepstow’s first National Hunt meeting of the 2017/2018 jumps season and a large crowd will be in attendance at the Welsh venue’s curtain raiser, a card that has traditionally featured some superstars, including Altior who won the opening race back in 2015. This year’s renewal, due off at 13:55, also looks likely to be won by a hurdling newcomer, with Vango de Vaige, Captain Simon and Dynamite Dollar all interesting contenders. Fleminport, purchased by JP McManus for £140,000 after finishing second in a point-to-point at Broughshane, is another to watch closely for any market support.

Three horses with a ‘p’ attached to their rating could fight out the finish to the mares’ novices’ hurdle at 14:30, with Rosie McQueen preferred to Oscar Rose and Skewiff. Jonjo O’Neill’s charge was going well when falling two out in a maiden hurdle won by Listen To The Man at Huntingdon last time, and would surely have won.

There is a small turnout for the listed novices’ chase at 15:05, with Alcala scaring away most of – but not all - the opposition. Despite gaining the first of his six wins over fences in mid-April, Paul Nicholls’ charge is still classed as a novice until the end of October and this race would have looked cherry ripe for the picking were it not for the presence of Finian’s Oscar. The Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old won his first four starts over hurdles last term, including the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown and the Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, and he only went down by a short head when collard by Bacardys in the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown on his final start.

Diego du Charmil won the limited handicap hurdle (15:35) last season, and his trainer, who has dominated this card over the past decade, saddles the strong traveller Dolos this time round. The French-bred four-year-old won at this meeting last season and he was a good second to Call Me Lord in a juvenile handicap at Sandown when last seen; he could be well-handicapped despite the burden of top weight. It’s a tight race on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, though, with Dino Velvet and Percy Street just two of a host of young horses capable of building on what they achieved last term.

The feature race on the card is the Silver Trophy (16:10), a Grade 3 handicap hurdle that was won by Ballyoptic 12 months ago and which has been previewed in detail by Ben Fearnley here. He selects Sam Spinner, one of our 50 Horses To Follow for the season ahead – order your copy of the book (priced just £9.95) below to find out who the other 49 are!

Finally, the card finishes with a couple of very competitive handicap chases. Rock The Kasbah won on his reappearance here last season and may have the edge over Potters Legend and Sizing Codelco in the 16:45, while conditional jockeys come to the fore in the finale (17:20). Thomas Cheesman has been out of luck on his two rides to date on top-rated Bacchanel, while Wade Harper hasn’t looked totally straightforward of late so is passed over despite the booking of promising young rider Mitchell Bastyan. It might be worth taking a chance on Definitly Grey repeating his second to Irish Octave at Worcester last month – it’s not something the Charlie Longsdon-trained runner has done often, but the winner has franked the form in no uncertain terms and this looks a very winnable race.