The Jump Season returns this weekend with the Unibet Jump Season Opener at Chepstow on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th October. Trainer Fergal O’Brien has given an update on some of his stable stars heading to the two-day meeting.
Accidental Rebel - Friday 7th October - 2.10pm Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
“I’m really looking forward to running Accidental Rebel in the Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle. He deserves his chance. He’s three from four for us but I think it could have been four from four, if Paddy (Brennan) had rode that race differently last time.
“Life’s a lot easier over here for the horse than it was in Ireland, he’s grown in confidence. He is Special Tiara’s half-brother so he’s got a lot of speed and I think that the two miles and three furlong trip will really suit. Hopefully Paddy can sneak him into it late on. I think Presentandcounting will be a hard horse to beat if he turns up, he absolutely bolted up in a novice handicap the other day at Worcester, but I think this will be a lovely opportunity for our yard as well.
“Accidental Rebel can still be a little bit babyish, he can hang right and left but Paddy knows him well enough.”
Mortlach - Friday 7th October - 2.10pm Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
“Mortlach’s won six races for us and Paddy (Brennan) basically trains him. He’s done a great job with Mortlach, both training him and getting him in the right races and he ran very well again at Kelso (on Sunday). He gave the winner five pounds who is a nice horse of Lucinda Russell’s. It was a great run.
“He’s a very resilient and hardy horse. He doesn’t take any training, he can just be in the field for two days and then away he goes again. He lives on the round gallop and that’s what he does.”
Art Approval – Friday 7th October - 2.50pm Tom Malone Bloodstock Novices' Chase
“Art Approval will go for the two-mile and seven-furlong novice chase. He was good to us last year when he won at Cheltenham for my landlord, Rupert Lowe. It was lovely to get a winner for them and to get one for them at Cheltenham was fantastic. Peter Kavanagh came down and rode him and to ride a winner on your first ride at Cheltenham was fantastic.
“Art Approval will like the ground and he’s been jumping well. Thyme Hill and McFabulous will frighten a lot off, but we’ve got to start somewhere. We’ll be very wrong on the ratings with those horses but we know Art (Approval) is fit and well. We’ve got to start somewhere and Chepstow is a lovely place to start.”
Manothepeople - Friday 7th October - 4.35pm Dragon Tv & Film Studios Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase
“Manothepeople was a very good servant for us last year. He took a bit of time to get into his stride, but once we got hold of him and once he won for the first time under Paddy (Brennan) at Huntingdon, he then went on and won at Doncaster.
“He loves this ground, he’s in the conditional jockeys chase. Jack Hogan has taken every opportunity we’ve given him. Some of his best rides haven’t even been winning rides, they’ve come when he’s been second or third, so we’re really pleased to have Jack on him. He schooled well this morning so we’re really looking forward to him running.
“He's been very good schooling, we took him to Lambourn and he was good. He just warms up on a racetrack so he’ll be absolutely fine. This race on Friday will really suit him. He’s a galloper and he seems to be working a lot better this year which he wasn’t doing last year.”
Golden Taipan – Saturday 8th October - 2.17pm Native River Handicap Chase
“Golden Taipan is great. He’s won two chases around Perth. He was a very good second at Warwick the other day. He was supposed to go to Ludlow or Exeter and they’ve both been abandoned. He’s been a great servant for us but he will hopefully turn up at Chepstow and take his chance.
“I thought his run at Warwick was a good run, he just didn’t help Paddy once he got to the front. He gave the winner a chance to get at him. If he’d have got a lead for a little longer he could have upset the favourite but it was a great run and we were very happy with it. He’s quite versatile so he will definitely stay three-miles.”
Pull Again Green – Saturday 8th October - 2.52pm Dunraven Windows Novices' Chase (Class 1) (Listed Race)
“Pull Again Green won four races for us last year. He won at Uttoxeter under a penalty and to then go and win at Newbury, where he beat a good horse of Richard Spencer’s, was a good effort. Then he went and won at Cheltenham.
“Paddy is a bit cross because he wants him to stay over hurdles, but we just feel handicap hurdles will be hard work for him because he is such a good jumper. I saw him school this morning and he’s a big, strong horse so the sooner he goes over fences the better for him. We think he’s a good horse and he deserves to be there. We started Jarvey’s Plate off in that race and we think this lad is every bit as good as Jarvey’s Plate. He’s right up there with the best of our novice chasers.”
Paint The Dream – Saturday 8th October - John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase
“Paint The Dream posted a career-best when fourth at Aintree in the Marsh Chase and he won well at Newbury the time before. He won at this meeting last year but he’s 14 pounds higher this year.
We’ll put him in the Silver Trophy over hurdles as well and just try and pick the best race for him. I think ultimately we would like to be in the Ladbrokes Trophy. He’s our highest-rated chaser and we’d love to have a go at that race. He loves Newbury, he’s won round Newbury. Connor (Brace) isn’t sure he’ll stay the trip. His Grandad - who has forgotten more than the rest of us know - thinks he’ll stay the trip so we’ll start at Chepstow and we might even look at the Charlie Hall as well.
“He’s a very good horse on his day. He gallops, jumps and he’s a lovely horse. I think he likes Chepstow. The wind operation definitely helped him last year, we always felt there was something catching him in his races so we just tidied up his palette.”
That’s A Dazzler – Saturday 8th October - 5.12pm Chepstow Construction Equipment Open National Hunt Flat Race
“That’s A Dazzler is a homebred from David Brace. He’s a beautiful horse who we had last year and could have run in the spring. I’m sure we could have run him in a bumper but the lovely thing about having good owners is that they listen. We just felt that if we gave him a summer off after training hard for a couple of months that it would benefit him really well and it has. He’s come back a bull of a horse so we’re really excited about him.”
Moonshine Spirit – Saturday 8th October - 5.12pm Chepstow Construction Equipment Open National Hunt Flat Race
“Moonshine Spirit is a lovely horse. He was second for us in his bumper last year. He was very green to start with but he ran on really well. We’ve had a bit of luck in the bumper at Chepstow either winning or being placed in it and it’s a lovely place to start off.
“Both of them are very nice horses. I see That’s A Dazzler staying in bumpers all season because he has loads of speed.”
About Chepstow Racecourse
Chepstow Racecourse opened its gates in the early 1920's and has since blossomed into a bustling track that is home to the Welsh Grand National. From just a pretty park, this venue is now home to racing fixtures and music events throughout the year, as well as being available to hire for weddings, conferences and events.
For further information please contact:
Sam Cone, Arena Racing Company on 07920 404296 or SCone@arenaracingcompany.co.uk
Hugo Barran, JSC Communications on 07786 913215 or
