Mike Cattermole puts Chepstow’s feature contest, the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle live on Sky Sports Racing, under the microscope.
The two-day Jumps Season Opener at Chepstow, all live on Sky Sports Racing, is a step in the right direction for proper winter jumping fans.
The fixture is now widely regarded as the first taste of top-class National Hunt action in the new season and the Wadsdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (4.02) on Saturday is the most valuable race over the two days. Indeed, the ?75,000 feature, first run in 1988, is the first big handicap hurdle of the campaign.
In spite of a few showers on Friday, the race is set to be run on good ground. The distance of just short of two and a half miles means that it attracts horses stepping up in trip and established stayers who may be dropping back.
With the likes of West To The Bridge, Bourbali and Zabeel Champion all liking to go forward, the race looks sure to be truly run.