Nappers Hill and Allmankind headline entries for Chepstow's Unibet Jump Season Opener Meeting

The six-year-old Knappers Hill, who won as a novice hurdler at this meeting 12 months ago, is Nicholls’ sole entrant in the race which could be a sign that he is a likely runner for Ditcheat.

Allmankind is another horse with previous winning form at Chepstow. He has been entered by Dan Skelton (follow link for in-depth Stable Tour) along with stablemates Proschema and West To The Bridge.

Exciting second-season novice hurdlers Broomfield Burg, Gentleman At Arms, Zabeel Champion and Thunder Rock have all been given entries too in a race where horses with such unexposed profiles tend to do well.

In the following contest, the Paul Ferguson's Jumpers To Follow 4-Y-O Hurdle, there are 17 entries from all the top British stables and even one entry from top Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien who has recent Killarney winner Bella Scintilla engaged.

Course-and-distance winner Grivetana has been entered by Paul Nicholls, while the consistent Addosh will hope to bounce back from a fall last time out for the Stuart Edmunds yard. Bagheera Ginge is chasing a hat-trick of victories and could make his handicap bow for Nigel Twiston-Davies who won this in 2019 with Torpillo. That horse carried the silks of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede who could be represented this year by the Nicky Henderson trained Impulsive One.

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing have enjoyed a wonderful year on the flat and will hope to carry that success over into the National Hunt sphere. Both Restitution and Coolnaugh Haze have been entered in this race for the syndicate by trainers Philip Hobbs and Alan King.

In the Dunraven Windows Novices' Chase McFabulous is yet another potential runner for Paul Nicholls and his entry in this race goes alongside his entry on Friday where Thyme Hill is amongst his potential opposition.

Saturday’s race has received another healthy bunch of entries this year and alongside the likes of McFabulous could be Pull Again Green who looked smart at the end of last season. Cobbler’s Dream was runner-up at the Cheltenham Festival in March and is very likely to be declared for Ben Case who recently earmarked this race as an early season starting point for his stable star.

Case said: “He will go novice chasing and if we can get a school into him on grass I’m hoping he’ll run at Chepstow in October.

"There’s a Listed novice chase over 2m3f and I’d like to start him there. We’re very much looking forward to going over fences."

Sebastopol, whose trainer Tom Lacey won this last year with Tea Clipper, has both previous chasing experience and winning course form to his name. Rated 148, he is the best of the three horses entered in the race with form over fences already to their name, with Stepney Causeway and Dazzling Glory having something to prove in this company.

The seven-race card is set to begin with the Champion Hats Juvenile Hurdle, a race which has unearthed some smart types down the years. The Chepstow Construction Equipment Open National Hunt Flat Race is the final race of the day.

14 in the mix for Persian War

The Donald McCain-trained eight-year-old Presentandcounting is one of the headline names among 14 runners who have been entered in Friday's Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (G2).

The son of Presenting is chasing a fourth consecutive career success after he turned what looked a competitive race at Worcester into a procession last time out to win by 10-lengths over fixed brush hurdles.

Also entered are Quid Pro Quo, who is two from two since he was sent hurdling by Dan Skelton. The six-year-old is joined by the likes of stablemate Gentle Connections, the thriving Accidental Rebel, Hector Javilex, Scipion and Outlaw Peter whose trainer Paul Nicholls has won this race a record eight times.

In the following Tom Malone Bloodstock Novices’ Chase, a small but stellar field of six entries have been received and the Ryanair Stayer’s Hurdle winner Thyme Hill has been given an entry by trainer Philip Hobbs who recently issued a positive update about his stable star’s ability in schooling over the larger obstacles.

Hobbs said: “"He's been really good. He schooled at the end of the season before last as we weren't sure what he was going to do but he's always jumped very well. Last season, he had a great campaign but he did so without winning a race which is always frustrating."

This is always a meeting Nicholls targets at the start of every National Hunt season and this year is no different with both McFabulous & Flash Collonges entered for the team at Ditcheat.

McFabulous looked a classy sort when he won the Persian War in 2020 by three-lengths and could be an exciting prospect over fences.

The field at the five-day entry stage are completed by Art Approval, Twig who has the benefit of a recent run and Press Your Luck for the Chris Gordon yard.

A total of 11 horses have been entered in the Professor Caroline Tisdall Supports Heroic Jumpers Veterans' Handicap Chase. Lostintranslation would undoubtedly be one of the star names on show were he to take up his entry with similar comments applying to former Ladbroke Trophy winner De Rasher Counter.

The race was won last year by Some Chaos who features among the entries once again. Former high-class staying hurdler If The Cap Fits has been entered by new trainer David Pipe who also has the Judith Wilson-owned Al Roc engaged.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.