It’s always a busy July at Chepstow and this year is no different. We have Ladies Evening featuring Paloma Faith on Friday 8th July and Caribbean Night with the Bob Marley tribute act, Trenchtown Experience, on Friday 22nd July. In between there is a fixture on Thursday 14th July. All the details for tickets, restaurants and hospitality are on the website.
At the time of writing, Sean Bowen is joint leader of the jump jockeys’ championship alongside Brian Hughes – both have 30 winners. Sean had one success at Uttoxeter on Sunday and another at Southwell on Monday. Hughes had a double at both fixtures.
James Bowen (photographed) was on the scoresheet at Cartmel on Sunday picking up a £21,000 first prize for the connections of Island Mahee trained in Ireland by Stuart Crawford. The eight year old defeated Beyond The Clouds by five and a half lengths.
The Rebecca Curtis trained Ruthless Article ran a cracking race in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter on Sunday finishing second at odds of 50-1.
Bernard Llewellyn’s stable hit form with a vengeance last week, with three winners from three runners. Canal Rocks won at Worcester with Charlie Price up last Sunday week, confirming the improvement shown in his previous outing. Then he was third in a seller in which three of the first five had won again since.
The next day Bernard’s granddaughter Jessica won at Wolverhampton on King Charles, who was running off his lowest ever handicap mark and attempting a mile and three quarters for the first time. To complete the treble, on Saturday Jordan Williams rode Cogital to win at Chester. His five pound claim still left the horse with nine stone eleven to carry, but being drawn in stall two was a significant advantage. The runner-up was drawn nine, on the outside, and failed by only a neck.
It was Cogital’s seventh win since joining the yard in January 2020, justifying his purchase price of 17,500 guineas. Indigo Times couldn’t make it four for the yard in a row in the last at Chester.
David Probert rode a double at Chester on Friday, but was out of luck riding the second favourite in Newcastle’s Northumberland Plate the next day. Though Valley Forge was drawn 15, he was guided skilfully to take the first turn just one off the rail and saved ground on the inside until turning into the final straight. He took the lead two out but faded to finish seventh to Trueshan, which was no disgrace in such a hot contest.
