15:30 Chepstow

Saturday 9 October 2021

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3016:0516:40

Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 45.31s

Proschema¹⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 142

9/2

Signed off last term on a high, landing competitive handicaps at Cheltenham and Aintree (both at around 2½m). Nudged up just 2 lb for the latter and, with the drying ground a plus, he's a big player.

Form: P1151-1

Hooper^p1¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Ben Ffrench Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 139| BF| D

14/1

Raised his game when 4 times over hurdles between March and June. However, resumes in this sphere on a tough-looking mark following a couple of runs over fences. Cheekpieces added.

Form: 1-116U2

Chapmanshype^t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Page Fuller| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 137| D

40/1

Fine strike rate in this sphere (6-15) and made a winning chase debut at Fontwell in May. Returned to form on second start back hurdling at Worcester (2½m, good) recently, but this is much tougher.

Form: 0-13452

Amour de Nuit¹⁸³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137| D

25/1

Started last term in fine form, scoring at Plumpton prior to solid efforts in defeat at Newbury and Kempton. Ended that campaign on a downer, though, and Dargiannini is presumably the stable No 1.

Form: 124590-

Mount Windsor¹⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 137| D

50/1

Made good strides last season, winning 4 on the bounce at up to 19f. However, came up short upped to Class 2 company at Newbury when last seen in March and current mark leaves no margin for error.

Form: 211115-

Gowel Road²⁰⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 136

17/2

Decisive handicap bow winner at Newbury (16.3f, heavy) in January before following up in a novice over the same C&D. However, he struggled off a similar mark at the Cheltenham Festival when last seen.

Form: 24110-

Champagne Well^t³¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 136| BF

20/1

Ex-pointer who made up into a useful novice hurdler during 2019/2020 campaign, twice runner-up in Grade 2 company. 0-3 over fences last season, but resumes in this sphere on a feasible mark.

Form: 22P/332-

Torigni¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D A Jacob| T: H Whittington| OR: 135

16/1

French import who opened his acccount on this side of the Channel when dead-heating in 2m handicap hurdle at Ayr in April. 3 lb rise fair and remains unexposed, but much more on his plate this time.

Form: 01/3331-

Blackstair Rocco²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 134

14/1

Hammered by the handicapper following his runaway success at Down Royal (20.3f) in June. Runner-up all 3 subsequent starts over jumps, but a jolt of improvement needed here off this lofty mark.

Form: 70-1222

Jacamar¹⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 133

28/1

Useful hurdler who bagged decent handicaps at Aintree and Wincanton last season. Completely misfired back at Aintree when last seen in April, though, and this assignment demands a clear career-best.

Form: 144180-

Dorrells Pierji⁶⁸³

80/1

Dual bumper/hurdles winner for Willie Mullins, but absent since failing to fire on chase debut back in November 2019 and probably best watched starting out for new yard. Has undergone wind surgery.

Form: 168035/

Rowland Ward^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: B S Hughes| T: S Edmunds| OR: 131

10/1

Improved with the aid of a first-time tongue strap when landing a big-field Aintree handicap in April. Should come on for last month's reappearance spin at Market Rasen and not without each-way hope.

Form: 2341-44

Orbys Legend²¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

7/1

Quickly made up into a useful hurdler last season, signing off with an emphatic success in a Sandown novice (2m, soft). Open to improvement now handicapping and he's a must for the shortlist.

Form: 2/2131-

Glory And Honour¹⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 129| BF

11/1

Winner of a Huntingdon maiden hurdle and an AW jumpers bumper last winter. Rather disappointing on his second handicap start at Newton Abbot in April, though, and needs to raise his game.

Form: 211333-

Didtheyleaveuoutto⁹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Gifford| OR: 129

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler who struck on the Flat at Nottingham in June. Resumes in this sphere on a workable mark, but his profile is rather patchy and others are more convincing overall.

Form: 0FF/F24-

The Wrekin¹¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly| OR: 127

16/1

Made it 3-4 in novice hurdles when getting the better of another useful type at Hexham (16.2f, good to soft) in June. Mark for this handicap bow looks fair and he's armed with potential.

Form: 502-111

Dargiannini¹⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: G Sheehan| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 126

10/3

Impressive Sedgefield bumper winner last October and landed the odds in back-to-back novice hurdles at that course in March. Since joined top yard and he's a fascinating contender now handicapping.

Form: 1211-

Non-Runners

Black Mischief⁸⁹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 9

T: H Fry J: Lorcan Murtagh

Forecasts

Dargiannini (10/3), Proschema (9/2), Orbys Legend (7/1), Gowel Road (17/2), Rowland Ward (10/1), Black Mischief (10/1), Glory And Honour (11/1), Blackstair Rocco (14/1), Hooper (14/1), The Wrekin (16/1), Torigni (16/1), Champagne Well (20/1), Amour de Nuit (25/1), Didtheyleaveuoutto (28/1), Jacamar (28/1), Chapmanshype (40/1), Mount Windsor (50/1), Dorrells Pierji (80/1)

There should be more to come from ORBYS LEGEND this season and, having looked good at Sandown when last seen in March, he is taken to make a winning handicap bow off what looks a potentially handy mark. Fellow handicap debutants The Wrekin and Dargiannini are feared most, in that order of preference, while Proschema also needs considering, despite top-weight. Black Mischief is another to consider.