Chepstow Friday Preview

The first race of the day is the feature on the Chepstow card on Friday with the Grade Two Persian War Novices Handicap and we have gone for Colin Tizzard's gelding that has been gambled on all week.

Fiddlerontheroof for the Dorset handler heads to Chepstow in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices Hurdle just under 2 and a half miles and the gelding has been overly popular in the betting markets.

Tizzard is ready to get his season underway and unleash some of his big guns and this five year old could be one of those horses having some smart form from last season heading into his seasonal debut.

With soft ground forecasted at Chepstow on Friday it will play into the hands of Fidlerontheroof with him landing a decent bumper on his final start last season at Navan on this ground.

We are looking for a quick-fire Colin Tizzard and Robbie Power double at Chepstow with Ofalltheginjoints for the trainer and jockey looking to have a smart chance in this Class 4 on his rules debut.

The five year old gelding has only ever raced in three point to point contests where he was pulled on his first two starts but won nicely last time out over in Ireland.

He has since been moved to Tizzard's stable off the back of his win in the three mile contest and with conditions to suit he could be an interesting contender.

The Class 3 Novices Chase looks a hot contest but last seasons hurdling star Lisnagar Oscar for Rebecca Curtis looks a big contender.

He was a superb for the most part of last season winning some nice contests at Chepstow and Haydock before finishing a smart third on his final start in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices Hurdle.

Now making his chase debut he has to be of some interest, still holding a good turn of foot and being a winner over course and distance is a huge bonus.

The Veterans Handicap Chase is another race full of familiar faces from the national hunt seasons gone by and David Pipe's Dell' Arca holds a respectable chance.

This 10 year old has been fairly inconsistent over the last few seasons but has been known in the past to go well fresh especially in these conditions.

The gelding has won over this distance before and has now dropped down for a very workable mark that sees him seven pounds lighter than his last win over obstacles.

One of the trickiest races on the card is the Class 2 Handicap over two miles where there is plenty of talent on show and we have gone for King D'Argent.

The Dan Skelton trained four year old last season showed his ability with one win and three places in his four runs over hurdles.

His last performance was a superb fourth at the Cheltenham Festival in the Grade 3 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and that holds a very strong form line.

Our final selection of the meeting is the Mares Handicap Chase and the favourite Troubled Soul for Fergal O'Brien looks very tough to beat.

The 10 year old finished second on all three of her starts over fences in April and now going off the same mark makes obvious appeal.

She started well fresh last season so she might not need the run and the good to soft ground should not cause her to many problems.