Chepstow Takeaways: What Did We Learn?

It was a rather unusual jumps season opener this year, with the weather wreaking havoc in the build-up to the 2026 Welsh Racing Festival. Chepstow did what they could to put on a show, but I was left a tad disappointed and slightly underwhelmed. The jumps season has started with a bit of a whimper, but there were a few important takeaways from the opening weekend. Here, I look at some of the key talking points and what to expect in the coming weeks and months as the 2026/27 National Hunt season kicks into gear.

Twiston-Davies Yard In Red Hot Form

At the time of writing, the Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies yard are operating at a strike rate of 26% – with eight winners from their last 31 runners. They often hit the ground running at this stage of the season, and this is very much the time to back the Grange Hill Farm runners.

I was taken by Locker Boum, a strapping son of Buck’s Boum, who got off the mark over hurdles at the first time of asking with an authoritative display. A £100,000 purchase at last year’s Coral Gold Cup sale, he’s a real chaser in the making, but there could be a nice prize to be won over hurdles.

Not The Day For Lord Byron

I was surprised to see Lord Byron so weak in the betting on Saturday morning. He was well supported into favouritism prior to declarations but went off at 7/2 – despite looking well in on official ratings. Harry Cobden never really looked happy with his mount, and he finished sixth, some 28 lengths behind eventual winner West Hill Verde.

To be fair, the Chris Gordon-trained Cosmic Connection was backed like defeat was out of the question, but he flopped, beating just one rival home. You’d have to imagine that Faye Bramley’s mount will show an improved level of form next time out – he’s certainly talented enough to bounce back.

Frustration For Nicholls But Signs Of Promise

The well-touted Stick To The Board had to settle for second on hurdles debut, with the Dan Skelton-trained Hitintheheadlines coming from off the pace to prevail. It has been a regular occurrence in recent years, with Skelton – assistant trainer at Ditcheat for nine years – now the leading force in British jumps racing.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Nicholls, though, as he bagged a Chepstow success with Treasure Planet in the Limited Handicap Hurdle for four-year-olds. Too Many Acres, a €125,000 purchase at the 2025 Derby Sale, showed enough to suggest that he will be winning races sooner rather than later as well.

Skelton Juggernaut Rolls On

The 2025/26 Champion Trainer has enjoyed a successful summer, and he finished the Welsh Racing Festival with a total of five winners across the weekend. No other trainer had more than three victories, and the signs are ominous, with the Alcester handler about to unleash the likes of Sinnatra and Kabral Du Mathan this week.

While Skelton’s novice hurdlers were slow to get going last season, he enjoyed three winners in such events across the weekend, and he’s got the bit between his teeth. It would take a brave man to back against him beating Martin Pipe’s record for winners in a single season.

AJ Reignites O’Neill Yard

With three winners from seven runners at Chepstow last weekend, it would be fair to say that Jonjo & AJ O’Neill enjoyed a hugely successful Welsh Racing Festival. In fact, all three winners were well supported in the betting, with Pioneer Pete, Onefournine and Gower Prince backed into favouritism and duly obliging for punters.

Lion Rose Sivola was a beaten favourite, but he finished over 20 lengths clear of the third that day, and it may prove prudent to keep the Jackdaws Castle runners onside. The yard went through a difficult patch last season, pulling all runners for a period of time, so hopefully they’ll have a clean run this time around.