Racecourse Guide

Chepstow
National Hunt

Piercefield, Monmouthshire · home of the Coral Welsh Grand National

⬤ National Hunt
Turf
Left-Handed
Severe Undulations

Shape

Nested Oval ~2m per circuit

Track Type

Undulating, Severe

Fences

11 per circuit

Hurdles

7 per circuit

Home Straight

5 fences

Run-in

250yd steep downhill

Direction

Left-handed

Course Highlight

Welsh Grand National Premier H’cap

Course Overview

Track Breakdown

Chepstow’s jumps course is nested inside its left-handed Flat circuit, giving it tighter, sharper bends than the wider turns used on the Flat. The severe undulations that define the whole site are, if anything, more consequential over jumps: several sources independently describe the view from the winning post as resembling “the ocean with large waves and swells,” with the highest point on the back straight and a further uphill section on the home bend. The run-in compounds the challenge — 250 yards, and notably steep downhill, a widely cited cause of jumping errors at the final fence since horses arrive there at real speed.

Chepstow opened in 1926 and staged its first jump racing the following March. The Welsh Grand National — originally run at Ely Racecourse in Cardiff from 1895, then Newport from 1948 — moved to Chepstow in 1949, cementing the track’s National Hunt identity ever since. On quick ground the course rides fast and true; on soft or heavy it “strings horses out like washing,” giving Chepstow a reputation as a winter mudlark’s track and a recognised stamina proving-ground ahead of Cheltenham and Aintree.

The Chase Course

Circuit Left-handed, nested inside the Flat course with sharper bends, ~2m per circuit
Fences 11 per circuit — two open ditches and a water jump; five of the eleven are sited in the home straight itself
Run-in 250 yards, steeply downhill — a well-documented cause of jumping errors at the final fence
Run style Severe undulations reward genuine stamina; front-runners hold a strong, well-quantified edge (see Pace Bias below)

The Welsh Grand National Course

Distance Extended in 2019 from 3m5f110y to the current 3m6½f, moving the start further back and adding one extra fence — 23 in total
Not a separate track The “extended” course is the standard chase circuit run further back from the same finish, not a structurally different layout
Sponsorship Coral has backed the race since 1973 — the longest-running sponsorship in jump racing

Notable Races

The Racing Calendar

Premier Handicap · 27 December

Coral Welsh Grand National

3m6½f, 23 fences. Wales’s richest race and Chepstow’s defining Christmas-period identity, run every year the day after Boxing Day. The 2025 renewal was worth £170,000.

Grade 2 · December

Finale Juvenile Hurdle

About 2m, 8 hurdles. Run on the Welsh National undercard for 3yo novice hurdlers; downgraded from Grade 1 in 2022.

Grade 2 · October

Persian War Novices’ Hurdle

About 2m3½f, 10 hurdles. Named after the triple Champion Hurdle winner (1968-70).

Listed · October

Robert Mottram Memorial Trophy

Novice chase over about 2m3½f. First run in 2011 (Cue Card won the inaugural running) and awarded Listed status in 2017.

Pace Bias

The Number That Matters

Chepstow has one of the starkest, most thoroughly quantified pace biases in British jump racing. In handicap chases, 68 of 96 winners (71%) either led or raced close to the pace — from just 47% of runners. Front-runners’ win rate sits at 25% against only 5.7% for hold-up horses, an edge of more than four times, with an A/E value of 2.16 for leaders against below 1.00 for every other running style.

Run Style Bias — Handicap Chases

▲ Front-runners

25% Strong (A/E 2.16)

─ Prominent

46% Strong

▼ Hold-up

5.7% Very Weak

The likely explanation is structural: five of the eleven fences sit in the home straight, with the first part downhill, which rewards a horse racing prominently far more than one held up for a late challenge. This is one of the clearest, best-evidenced pace angles anywhere in this guide series — treat it accordingly.

Statistics · Since 2010

Top Trainers & Jockeys

Trainer	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 Nicholls, P F	595	128	21.51%	264	44.37%	0.83	-174.79
2 Williams, Evan	711	85	11.95%	209	29.40%	0.95	-23.91
3 Hobbs, P J / White, J	463	83	17.93%	196	42.33%	1.02	-29.62
4 Pipe, D E	342	61	17.84%	133	38.89%	1.10	+14.84
5 Twiston-Davies, N A	322	46	14.29%	117	36.34%	0.94	-40.61
6 Tizzard, C L	388	45	11.60%	124	31.96%	0.78	-146.24
7 Curtis, Miss Rebecca	294	44	14.97%	120	40.82%	0.79	-49.16
8 Williams, Miss Venetia	369	43	11.65%	117	31.71%	0.81	-124.92
9 O’Neill, Jonjo and AJ	402	42	10.45%	119	29.60%	0.77	-170.69
10 Skelton, Daniel	339	41	12.09%	124	36.58%	0.77	-106.40
11 Vaughan, Tim	433	34	7.85%	109	25.17%	0.83	-171.89
12 O’Brien, Fergal	258	31	12.02%	81	31.40%	0.78	-64.28
13 Mulholland, N P	262	30	11.45%	65	24.81%	1.13	-69.57
14 Bowen, Peter / Michael	267	29	10.86%	68	25.47%	1.04	-63.97
15 King, A	193	26	13.47%	76	39.38%	0.83	-75.21
16 Lacey, T	134	26	19.40%	57	42.54%	1.08	+47.84
17 Bailey, K C	169	24	14.20%	56	33.14%	0.85	-66.06
18 Scott, J	193	23	11.92%	63	32.64%	1.02	-58.04
19 George, T R	195	22	11.28%	62	31.79%	0.81	-107.91
20 Lavelle, Miss E C	166	22	13.25%	55	33.13%	0.84	-54.41

Chepstow NH, since 2010. P F Nicholls leads the page on volume (128 wins from 595, 21.5% SR, A/E 0.83), though the market prices that in. Oppose the over-bet Jonjo and AJ O’Neill (A/E 0.77), Daniel Skelton (A/E 0.77) and C L Tizzard (A/E 0.78).

Jockey	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 Cobden, Harry	316	72	22.78%	132	41.77%	0.94	-70.01
2 Johnson, Richard	342	71	20.76%	167	48.83%	1.06	+20.44
3 Twiston-Davies, Sam	363	56	15.43%	138	38.02%	0.83	-132.48
4 Bowen, Sean P	288	51	17.71%	91	31.60%	1.14	+13.98
5 Wedge, Adam	399	50	12.53%	123	30.83%	0.97	-17.48
6 Scudamore, Tom	297	48	16.16%	109	36.70%	1.00	-48.78
7 O’Brien, T J	261	36	13.79%	84	32.18%	1.09	-38.93
8 Sheehan, Gavin	207	36	17.39%	75	36.23%	1.09	-7.02
9 Brennan, P J	225	35	15.56%	76	33.78%	0.95	+0.43
10 Skelton, Harry	230	30	13.04%	96	41.74%	0.71	-64.71
11 Jacob, Daryl	183	26	14.21%	63	34.43%	0.81	-70.91
12 Moloney, Paul	173	26	15.03%	55	31.79%	1.24	+82.36
13 Scholfield, Nick	276	25	9.06%	62	22.46%	0.82	-133.34
14 Jones, Ben R	154	25	16.23%	59	38.31%	1.05	+18.41
15 Best, J A	303	24	7.92%	63	20.79%	0.99	-115.77
16 Sheppard, Stan	161	24	14.91%	53	32.92%	1.04	-30.14
17 O’Neill, Jonjo (Jr)	163	22	13.50%	58	35.58%	0.81	-62.82
18 Coleman, A	221	21	9.50%	69	31.22%	0.69	-101.64
19 Williams, Lorcan	136	20	14.71%	47	34.56%	1.08	-49.92
20 Bellamy, Tom	173	18	10.40%	50	28.90%	0.77	-86.33

Chepstow NH, since 2010. Harry Cobden leads the riders on volume (72 wins from 316, 22.8% SR, A/E 0.94). The real value signals are Paul Moloney (A/E 1.24, +£82.36). Oppose the over-bet A Coleman (A/E 0.69), Harry Skelton (A/E 0.71) and Tom Bellamy (A/E 0.77).

Sire Statistics · Since 2010

Top Sires

Sire	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 Flemensfirth (USA)	435	67	15.40%	159	36.55%	1.05	+96.49
2 Kayf Tara	457	54	11.82%	139	30.42%	0.84	-153.47
3 Oscar (IRE)	331	48	14.50%	108	32.63%	1.01	-45.63
4 Milan	402	39	9.70%	103	25.62%	0.77	-106.88
5 King’s Theatre (IRE)	199	34	17.09%	72	36.18%	1.07	-43.28
6 Shantou (USA)	156	33	21.15%	71	45.51%	1.17	-3.15
7 Westerner	249	32	12.85%	85	34.14%	0.88	-124.60
8 Stowaway	160	25	15.62%	54	33.75%	1.14	-30.17
9 Getaway (GER)	260	23	8.85%	69	26.54%	0.72	-105.27
10 Presenting	259	23	8.88%	77	29.73%	0.67	-111.46
11 Beneficial	229	23	10.04%	63	27.51%	0.75	-34.77
12 Midnight Legend	219	23	10.50%	58	26.48%	0.85	-47.10
13 Old Vic	165	22	13.33%	55	33.33%	0.89	-22.59
14 Mahler	200	20	10.00%	66	33.00%	0.79	-113.02
15 Alflora (IRE)	175	20	11.43%	54	30.86%	1.23	+32.92
16 Shirocco (GER)	127	17	13.39%	36	28.35%	0.99	-50.02
17 Kapgarde (FR)	130	16	12.31%	44	33.85%	0.80	-76.81
18 Soldier Of Fortune (IRE)	122	16	13.11%	36	29.51%	0.90	-58.61
19 Martaline	109	16	14.68%	37	33.94%	0.89	-40.21
20 Black Sam Bellamy (IRE)	166	15	9.04%	43	25.90%	0.76	-61.68

Chepstow NH, since 2010. Flemensfirth (USA) tops the sire list (67 wins from 435, 15.4% SR, A/E 1.05), beating the market too. The real value signals are Alflora (IRE) (A/E 1.23, +£32.92). Oppose the over-bet Presenting (A/E 0.67), Getaway (GER) (A/E 0.72) and Beneficial (A/E 0.75).

Insider Knowledge

Betting Angles

🏇

Lean Toward the Front at Chepstow

71% of chase winners here either led or raced close to the pace, from just 47% of runners — one of the strongest, best-documented front-running biases anywhere.

📉

Watch for Errors at the Downhill Last

The steep 250-yard downhill run-in is a well-known cause of jumping mistakes at the final fence, since horses arrive at real speed.

🎯

Sam Thomas Is the Profitable Trainer Angle

A level-stakes profit of +£20.96 from 19 winners (24.1%, A/E 1.05), ahead of higher-volume names on pure return.

🏆

Harry Cobden Leads the Jockey Table

41 winners over the last five seasons — the most of any rider — though at A/E 0.89 and a level-stakes loss, that is volume leading the table rather than value.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Evan Williams Knows the Home Ground

The Welsh-based trainer’s deep local ties produced Secret Reprieve’s Welsh National win and Coole Cody’s Paddy Power and December Gold Cups.

🌊

Respect the Undulations, Not Just the Distance

Described as resembling “the ocean with large waves and swells,” Chepstow’s severe undulations shape form here as much as the obstacles do.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Backing hold-up horses on reputation alone. The data here is unusually stark — leaders and prominent racers have won 71% of chases from just 47% of runners, with hold-up horses winning barely 5.7% of the time.
Treating the Welsh Grand National as run over a separate circuit. The 2019 extension moved the start further back on the same standard chase course, adding one extra fence — it isn’t a different track.
Assuming the Welsh Champion Hurdle’s current grade is settled. Sources conflict on its black-type status; treat any claimed Listed status with caution.

Common Questions

Chepstow Racecourse FAQs

Is there a genuine pace bias at Chepstow?

Yes, and it’s one of the starkest, most thoroughly quantified biases in jump racing: leaders and prominent racers have won 71% of handicap chases here from just 47% of runners, with a front-runner win rate of 25% against 5.7% for hold-up horses.

How is the Welsh Grand National course different from a normal Chepstow chase?

It isn’t a separate track. The 2019 extension from 3m5f110y to 3m6½f moved the start further back on the same circuit, adding one extra fence (23 total) rather than creating a new layout.

Why do horses fall at the last fence so often at Chepstow?

The run-in is a steep 250 yards downhill, and horses arriving at speed on that downhill trajectory are prone to jumping errors at the final fence.

Who owns Chepstow Racecourse?

Arena Racing Company (ARC), one of Britain’s largest racecourse groups.

Explore

Other Jumps Tracks

Aintree

Home of the Grand National — Mildmay and National courses.

Cheltenham

Old Course and New Course — the home of jump racing.

Kempton Park

Sharp, flat right-hander — home of the King George.

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