Chepstow Horse Racing Tips – Welsh Racing Festival Day 1 Predictions (2025)

The wait is finally over, jump racing is back at Chepstow! Get ready for an unmissable start to the 2025 National Hunt season with The Welsh Racing Festival – Day One.

Here, I take a look through every race on Friday 10th October, with a highly regarded NAP running for the Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies team.

1.22pm – 2m Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div I) (Class 4) (4yo+)

Olly Murphy has the knack of bringing some nice youngsters through for Diana Whateley, and their five-year-old KARONACHO can show us how well he’s schooled over the summer.

The €200,000 purchase can hopefully hit the ground running on Friday.

1.57pm – 2m Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div II) (Class 4) (4yo+)

MASKED MAN (NAP) was a 12 length scorer in an Irish point back in May, and it is easy to see why owners Munir and Souede opened their cheque book for him.

Now placed with the Twiston-Davies’, a decent debut performance should be on the cards. He is my best horse racing betting tip of the day.

2.32pm – 2m3½f Mares’ Handicap Chase

Ever since I saw MINNIEMUM accidentally throw away a certain Mares’ Handicap Hurdle victory at Catterick in January 2024, I’ve always been a fan of Henry Daly’s girl.

Since switching to Mares’ Chases she’s been a revelation, and even won the series final at Cheltenham in April. I’m pretty sure she can handle top-weight here today, and makes for a solid bet.

3.12pm – 2m7½f Veterans’ Handicap Chase  (Class 2) (10yo+ 0-150)

Lots of familiar names in this race and the pensioner bragging rights can go the way of TULLYBEG for the Gordon Elliott stable.

After a long spell in the doldrums, he ran a cracker in a Down Royal Hurdle last time, and will have fitness on his side now.

3.43pm – 2m3½f Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

A David Maxwell-less QUEENSBURY BOY may well be the key to capturing the Persian War by the Harry Derham team.

No offence to the owner, but you ultimately want the best jockey aboard in these early season Graded races, and Paul O’Brien fits the bill perfectly for the yard.

4.17pm – 2m7½f “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+)

Summer winning machine ART OF DIPLOMACY can continue his fantastic run of form by landing this Novice Chase.

The nine-year-old is in peak condition and he has pretty much won his last five chases with some authority. There is no logical reason to desert him today at a racecourse that should suit.

4.55pm – 2m3½f David Pipe Racing Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-110)

Quite often you see sponsors winning their own race, so it isn’t the silliest decision in the world to give the bottom weighted OLD BRIDGE and each-way squeak in this race.

Jockey Rian Corcoran takes a massive 10lbs off his back, which makes him of significant interest should conditions be a little testing.

5.30pm – 2m Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (3yo+ 0-105)

OLIVIA KATE ran into Captain Bellamy on her debut here in October 2023, with thankfully for her, nothing of that calibre running in this race on Friday.

The grey mare drops back to two miles for the first time since September 2024, and she can be competitive in this grade.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*