The richest race day of the year at Ffos Las takes place tomorrow (Saturday 20th October) – and a bumper crowd is expected.
There is more than £100,000 of prize money on offer across the eight races including £45,000 for the feature race, the Dunraven Group Welsh Champion Hurdle. There are 80 runners in total.
The first race of the day is now 1.35pm with the last race at 5.30pm.
For the Dunraven Group Welsh Champion Hurdle last year’s winner, The New One, has been declared and will be ridden by amateur jockey Zac Baker who partnered the 10 year old bay gelding to victory last year.
Zac, who is younger brother to retired flat jockey George Baker, has plenty of experience on the point to point field and has a useful 5lb claim. The New One, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, has won more than one million pounds in prize money. A very rare feat for a jump horse.
Another runner to note is Le Prezien, whose trainer Paul Nicholls had four winners at last weekend’s Jump Season Opener at Ffos Las’s sister racetrack Chepstow.
Le Prezien will be ridden by Barry Geraghty and last season won the Grade 3 Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but tomorrow switches back to hurdles.
Another Cheltenham Festival winner that lines up is the Dan Skelton trained Mohaayed who won the Grade 3 County Handicap Hurdle and hasn’t been seen on the track since.
It would be a great story if Vale of Glamorgan trainer Evan Williams could win the race with his runner Silver Streak, jockey Adam Wedge was in the saddle when winning The Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock last season. Other runners in the race are Ch’tibello, Ozzie The Oscar, Sizing Granite and Rock On Rocky.
The £14,000 Smerdon Tree Services Novices’ Chase is the fifth race on the card and has attracted nine exciting declarations. Horses that catch the eye are No Comment, trained by Philip Hobbs, owned by JP McManus and ridden by retained jockey Barry Geraghty, who is making the trip over the water from Ireland for four rides.
The Colin Tizzard trained Vision des Flos is set to make his chasing debut and is partnered by Tom Scudamore who last season finished 2nd in the Aintree Festival Grade 1 Betway Top Novices Hurdle just beaten by Lalor.
Jester Jet trained by Tom Lacey is also set to line up who last season won the Grade 3 Alder Hey Children’s Charity Handicap Hurdle at the Aintree Festival.
Alongside eight competitive races, there is the return of the popular Wild Murphy’s before the first race and The Stereoironics, a Stereophonics tribute band will be taking to the stage after the last race.
The weather forecast is set to be a fine day and the going is currently good to soft. Gates open at 12.10pm tomorrow and tickets are £25.00.
