Chepstow Horse Racing Tips for Friday

The first big jumps meeting of the winter takes place at Chepstow this weekend and the feature on Friday is the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (15:15).

The latest horse racing betting tips for Friday’s card at Chepstow from Racing Post tipster Graeme Rodway.

Friday’s Chepstow Horse Racing Betting Tips and Odds

15:15 Chepstow - Intense Approach @ 3/1
15:50 Chepstow - Copperhead @ 11/2
17:00 Chepstow - Gin Coco @ SP
17:30 Chepstow - Rouge De L’Quest @ SP

15:15 Chepstow - Intense Approach @ 3/1

The Persian War Novices’ Hurdle has been won by some top novice hurdlers in the past and this year it can go to the Irish challenger Intense Approach, who sets the standard on form.

The John McConnell-trained five-year-old has progressed well since switching to hurdles and comes into this race following back-to-back wins at Downpatrick and Kelso on good ground.

Those wins have come by combined distances of more than 22 lengths and, while this is a significantly more difficult assignment, it’s hard to put a limit on his ability.

Further improvement looks certain to be forthcoming now that he steps up in class and champion jockey Harry Cobden, who has a winner and two seconds from just three mounts for the stable, is an eyecatching booking for the McConnell yard.

15:50 Chepstow - Copperhead @ 11/2

The 2m71/2f veterans’ handicap chase is a cracking race, featuring some old favourites, and it seems like a good spot for Copperhead, who will handle drying ground and comes into it in form.

Copperhead put in several good efforts in defeat last season and got reward for that string of consistent runs when landing a handicap chase at Plumpton in May.

That wasn’t a strong race and he beat just three rivals, but Copperhead has been raised only 3lb in the weights and returns from a 152-day break with a good record when fresh.

He therefore has plenty going for him and went close on his seasonal reappearance at Fontwell last year. If he is going to win a race this season it’s likely to be this one.

17:00 Chepstow - Gin Coco @ SP

The 2m handicap hurdle is where my next fancy runs as Gin Coco looks open to further improvement now that he returns from a summer wind operation for top trainer Harry Fry.

Gin Coco has dropped to the same mark as when landing a handicap hurdle at Ascot last November and proved that he is still capable of running to a high level when fourth behind Our Champ in the Sussex Champion Hurdle at Plumpton in April off a mark 3lb higher than this.

He needs to bounce back from a disappointing run at Haydock last time, but didn’t shape as badly as his final position of 10th suggests after making an early mistake, and it’s worth ignoring the effort.

Drying conditions will suit Gin Coco and trainer Fry’s runners rarely lack fitness first time up.

17:30 Chepstow - Rouge De L’Quest @ SP

Rebecca Curtis-trained runners are always hard to beat at Chepstow and, with the stable in form, Rouge De L’Quest might be capable of making a winning seasonal reappearance in the 2m71/2f conditional jockeys’ handicap chase.

The lightly raced eight-year-old was improving rapidly when we last saw him at the backend of last season and followed his victory at Ffos Las in March with two narrow seconds in April. He was beaten only a short-head over course and distance on the first occasion and a head at Ffos Las last time.

Rouge De L’Quest is now up to a career-high BHA mark of 112, but comes here following three consecutive career-best Racing Post Ratings and is improving quickly enough to defy the rise.

Read more horse racing betting tips and predictions on site.

Read more Chepstow horse racing news on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.