Chepstow Jump Season Opener: Sky Sports Racing's Mike Cattermole gives his expert verdict on the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle

Trainers Dan Skelton and Chris Gordon both run two in the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle on day two Chepstow's Jump Season Opener, live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday at 4.02pm; Knappers Hill at the top of the betting for Paul Nicholls

Friday 7 October 2022 17:30, UK

Mike Cattermole puts Chepstow's feature contest, the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle live on Sky Sports Racing, under the microscope.

The two-day Jumps Season Opener at Chepstow, all live on Sky Sports Racing, is a step in the right direction for proper winter jumping fans.

The fixture is now widely regarded as the first taste of top-class National Hunt action in the new season and the Wadsdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (4.02) on Saturday is the most valuable race over the two days. Indeed, the £75,000 feature, first run in 1988, is the first big handicap hurdle of the campaign.

In spite of a few showers on Friday, the race is set to be run on good ground. The distance of just short of two and a half miles means that it attracts horses stepping up in trip and established stayers who may be dropping back.

With the likes of West To The Bridge, Bourbali and Zabeel Champion all liking to go forward, the race looks sure to be truly run.

Proschema

Jockey: Harry Skelton; Trainer: Dan Skelton

One of two for the already in-form Dan Skelton and the choice of stable jockey Harry, with Lorcan Williams on stablemate West To The Bridge. The yard has won this twice in the past eight years.

Proschema took part in last year's contest and fared quite well in fifth place off a mark of 142, 3lb lower than this year's rating. Like last year, he lines up here after a break - this time after failing to stay the marathon trip of the Ascot Stakes on the Flat in June.

After last year's run here, he was campaigned over three miles in his three subsequent hurdles starts and performed well, suggesting that a bigger stamina test over hurdles seems to suit him nowadays.

Usually quietly ridden, he will enjoy the sound surface and can be expected to be staying on well at the death.

Knappers Hill

Harry Cobden; Paul Nicholls

Boasted some very smart bumper form but it is fair to say that he took a while to get the hang of jumping hurdles. Indeed, when he landed the odds here on his hurdling debut at this meeting a year ago, he was far from foot perfect.

He then went on to show quite useful form with another success at Wincanton, a solid third to Jonbon at Ascot before a respectable sixth in the Betfair Hurdle.

His one try at around this trip came in the EBF Final at Sandown but the soft ground there didn't suit him at all and he bounced back to end the season on a high at Newton Abbot before a fluent success back at Sandown, both of those on good ground and over two miles.

Now 7lb higher, he tries over further again and you suspect there will be more to come, but he will need it. The champion trainer has been quiet of late but that is about to change.

West To The Bridge

Lorcan Williams; Dan Skelton

A front-runner who boasts a load of experience and who enjoyed a fruitful campaign last term when notching up four wins, all on soft ground, including over this course and distance last January.

There is no doubt that rain would aid his cause and he is up against some more unexposed types here. The oldest runner in the field and the stats are against him as no 9-y-o has ever won this race.

Masters Legacy

Micheal Nolan; Philip Hobbs

Worth a second look as Philip Hobbs has won this event four times in the past.

A winner at this meeting last year over two miles on good ground, off a mark of 132, he is now back to that identical mark after ending last season with two very disappointing runs.

The fact that he has undergone a wind operation since then provides a clue as to why he failed to perform. If that works, he could well be a player from a yard just starting to hit its stride.

Didtheyleaveuoutto

Niall Houlihan; Nick Gifford

Has been campaigned recently on the Flat, mostly over two miles, and performing with credit so that should set him up nicely for an attempt at going one better than a year ago when he stayed on powerfully on the run-in to snatch second behind Orbys Legend.

He is 2lb higher now but the sound surface will suit him and he will be ridden with the usual restraint before launching his attack late. But given how well he performed over three miles subsequently at Haydock, it might be that this three-parts brother to the mighty Denman will again find the finishing post coming just too soon.

And the age stats are also against him.

Broomfield Burg

Jonjo O'Neill Jr; Nicky Henderson

Still tends to take a grip in his races and after racing too freely on his hurdling debut, learned enough to win at Southwell and Warwick before taking on deeper waters and performing with credit, looking especially good when romping home at Kempton on Boxing Day.

As a result, he started favourite for the Betfair Hurdle but again was too keen and faded into seventh place, a length and a quarter behind sixth Knappers Hill with whom he is now 10lb better off. He also has a 4lb pull for just under four lengths with the fourth, Lord Baddesley.

After a moderate run in the County Hurdle, he stepped up to around two and a half miles for his last two starts and wasn't disgraced at Aintree and Market Rasen (where he wore a hood, removed here). But he needs to find more and the hope is that the wind operation he has had since his last run will help him.

Unusually, this is one race that Nicky Henderson has yet to win.

Bourbali

Brendan Powell; Joe Tizzard

A steady improver last season both on soft and good ground and notched up a hat-trick in the spring in handicaps at Sandown and Plumpton (twice). A rise of 3lb looks reasonable.

An uncomplicated type who enjoys making the running, and tries hard, he also has a course and distance win to his name (last October). Has to be respected.

Unanswered Prayers

Freddie Gordon; Chris Gordon

One of two Chris Gordon-trained challengers, with the trainer's son Freddie taking off 7lb. Ended last season with a battling second to Bourbali at Plumpton in April, rallying after hitting a flat spot on the bottom turn, and is now 3lb better for a length and three quarters.

Stays the trip well but interesting that Tom Cannon prefers Lord Baddesley.

Lord Baddesley

Tom Cannon; Chris Gordon

Was travelling very strongly in touch behind Bourbali when tipping up at the fourth last at Plumpton when last seen in April (trying around this trip for the first time) and is now a handy 10lb better off.

Put up one of the best performances of his career when fourth in the Betfair Hurdle over two miles, ahead of both Knappers Hill in sixth and Broomfield Burg in seventh and is 6lb better off with the Nicholls challenger but 4lb worse with the Henderson runner. Made eye-catching late headway there, suggesting that a step up in trip would suit him.

An intriguing contender who should settle well off the strong pace and could be the one to beat.

Zabeel Champion

Richie McLernon; Jonjo O'Neill

A very useful middle-distance performer on the flat for Mark Johnston and having won two of his four hurdles starts for Jonjo O'Neill (won this race twice before, including with Don't Push It), is potentially well treated over hurdles, given his obvious talent.

Up 4lb for a Haydock win in April, his two starts since on the Flat have been underwhelming and this front-runner has to prove that he stays this trip.

Mike Cattermole's Silver Trophy verdict:

A race that intrigues the more you look at it! With a strong pace guaranteed, things might well pan out for Lord Baddesley who has bits of form that make him a fascinating contender for his very much in-form yard.

His old rival Bourbali is genuine and likeable and could well have more to offer, while the likes of Knappers Hill needs to squeeze out a bit more, although that is by no means out of the question. Masters Legacy is not comfortably dismissed after his wind operation.

Watch the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle from Chepstow live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 535) on Saturday October 9 at 4.02pm.