Two members of the management team from Chepstow Racecourse went to Ireland last week to meet four racehorse trainers to encourage them to bring runners over to fixtures at the Arena Racing Company courses Chepstow, Ffos Las and Hereford during the winter. Chepstow’s clerk of the course Libby O’Flaherty went across with regional director Phil Bell.
They visited Gordon Elliott, Gavin Cromwell, Peter Fahey and Willie Mullins.
Walking around Willie’s yard is like a who’s who for a racing fan with household names such as Galopin Des Champs, Lossiemouth, El Fabiolo, Energumene (photographed with Libby), Allaho, State Man, Facile Vega and Sir Gerhard. He has a multitude of riches.
One of the fixtures being promoted to the trainers was Chepstow’s two-day £400,000 Unibet Jump Season Opener on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th October where there are host of top class races including the £50,000 Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle and the £75,000 Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle.
The response from all four trainers about opportunities this side of the water was positive and Willie Mullins mentioned that his chaser Mr Incredible could be aimed at this year’s Coral Welsh Grand National. The seven year old came second in the Classic Chase at Warwick earlier this year then finished third in the Kim Muir Amateur Riders’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
There’s been a huge response to the Unibet Welsh Jump Jockeys Derby charity race at Chepstow on Friday 13th October which is raising money for Latch, a Cardiff based charity. The flat race, over 1m 4f, will take place before the official seven race programme and is restricted (obviously!) to Welsh jump jockeys.
Betsy Williams, daughter of leading Welsh trainer Christian Williams, is currently undergoing treatment for leukaemia and Betsy and her family members have been supported throughout this very difficult time by Latch who do amazing work in helping family members of children affected by cancer or leukaemia in Wales.
A video promoting the fund raiser, produced by jockey Alan Johns, has been a big hit on social media. It features ten Welsh jump jockeys taking a light hearted look at the race. It’s been watched by more than 75,000 people across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and also featured on the racing industry TV show Luck On Sunday. This is the Just Giving page.
Chepstow Racecourse is fundraising for LATCH Welsh Children's Cancer Charity (justgiving.com)
There was double delight for David Probert and John Flint on Saturday, as they each had two winners. Probert’s pair – Box To Box and Urban Outlook – came at Chester and John Flint had a memorable day at Bath. His Lusaka made it four wins out of his last five races by taking Bath Summer Series Stayers’ Final over a mile and three quarters. Later his stablemate, the six-year-old mare Lilandra, won the mile race by four lengths.
