Next Race 

October 11th

Chepstow (Going; Soft)

Persian War Novices Hurdle 2m3f100y (Grade 2)

The first thing I do when looking at the form for this race is check the Paul Nicholls runner. But strangely for someone who has won this in three of the last four running's and four in the last ten he has no runner. However, Fergal O'Brien, who has won it twice in the last ten, is represented by the early favourite Ryan's Rocket. He won his second start in a point and the third, Moon D'Orange, is now rated 130. He has won his last two starts after finishing second to the useful Fiercely Proud who was susequently runner up in the Grade 2 Dovecote and third beaten 2l by Jeriko Du Reponet in a Doncaster Grade 2. He's not ground dependent but hasn't run since May. John McConnell sends over Intense Approach and has to be respected. However he has had his jumping issues and fallen twice and pulled up once in six hurdle starts. He's won a Point and two Bumpers and his last two starts over hurdles and his trainer says he has an engine. His last two wins have come over 2m6f and 2m5f so dropping back in trip, albeit on a stiff course might not be ideal, particularly if there is a bit of pace in the race which will test his jumping. Harry Cobden has been booked for the ride and the horse comes here race fit. Flying Fortune is another who is race fit and gets a valuable 7lb Mares allowance. She won two of her four starts in Bumpers but took a while to register a win over hurdles finally doing it at the sixth atempt. She then ran up a hat trick on her next three starts, the latest coming at Worcester last month. However on he start before her first win she showed a good level of form going down by over 2l to Gale Mahler who went on to win her next two including a Listed race at Galway. Flying Fortune raced off the pace that day and travelled beautifully into contention but couldn't match the winner who is now rate 135. The Skelton's are never shy about tackling these Graded races and they rely on the twice raced Juventus De Brion. In the second of those, back in February, he was third behind a couple of decent sorts who are both rated 132. Vincenzo was fourth in that February race behind Juventus De Brion after which he had a wind op. He went on to win second time out after that in April but hasn't run since. Handlethekettle fell in his two Points back in the Sring. He reappeared over hurdles at Listowel in June finishing over 6l behind the easy winner after which he changed hands fo €50k. He reappeared last month where he went off the odds on favourite and duly obliged despite sweating up beforehand. He's best watched here. A difficult race to predict early in the season but for me Ryan's Rocket has the form in the bookand looks the one for me.

Selection; Ryan's Rocket

Best Alternative; Flying Fortune

Oct 5th

Gowran Park (Going; Good)

PWC Champion Chase 2m4f (Grade 2)

Eight go to post for this and Elliott and Mullins dominate the betting with two runners each. Mullins has won the last four runings of this, three of them with Easy Game who is an absentee this time. Instead he relies on Saint Sam and Saint Roi while Elliott relies on Conflated and Ash Tree Meadow. The latter, who won the 2023 running of the Galway Plate, was disappointing in this year's renewal finishing down the field. Prior to that he had beaten  French Dynamite by over 5l while conceding 8lbs to him and then went down by over 5l to Facile Mode at Punchestown. He missed Listowel to come here but carries a 5lb penalty which leads him vulnerable to a few. Conflated hasn't won in nine starts since beating Kemboy in the Savills Leopardstown in December 2022. His best run was probably in the Melling Chase at Aintree last April when going down by just over 1l to Jonbon. He might need this having not run since May 1st and is likely heading to Down Royal next month for the Ladbrokes where he was a gallant third last year. Saint Sam was a 5l runner up to Easy Game at Listowel in June before a bloodless win over hurdles at Cork, He went to Auteuil last month where he was a 1l winner. However he is another who has to acrry the penalty leaving him at a disadvantage on ratings. After disappointing in the Galway Plate, Saint Roi came out four days later and conceding lumps of weight all around made all to win over 2m2f. Afterwards Willie Mullins was very complimentary about him saying that when things go right for him he's as good as anything. Solness won at Listowel two weeks ago but has a bit to find on ratings. French Dynamite hasn't won in eleven starts since October 2022 and has slipped down in the ratings. He looks held on his run behind Ash Tree Meadow at Killarney in April and probably needs to run a career best to figure here. He's a half brother to Mighty Potter, Caldwell Potter and Brighterdaysahead. Visionarian has had two runs for Gavin Cromwell since moving from Peter Fahy's yard. In the first he never travelled and was pulled up and then was held up in rear and made no impression when beaten 30l in a hurdle race at Bellewstown. Espanito Bello's form figures of late wouldn't inspire apart from a third to Ferny Hollow at Naas in February and he has it all to do on ratings. I think it could be a one two for Mullins and Saint Roi might be the one to lead them home.

Selection; Saint Roi

Best Alternative; Saint Sam