Analysis and quotes for the Silver Trophy, the weekend's feature jumps contest

3.57 ChepstowWasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) | 2m3½f | 4yo+ | Sky

As should be expected of any big jumps race in the first half of October, the Silver Trophy is generally a first stop rather than the destination for the most interesting runners in the field. Last year's placed horses, Champagne Court and Imperial Aura, both used the race as a launchpad for successful novice chasing campaigns, while fifth-placed Indefatigable followed Imperial Aura in winning at the Cheltenham Festival.

This £40,000 race will have its exceptions to that maxim and Flash The Steel is one. His win in this last year was his big day, he was otherwise down the field in even more competitive handicaps at Haydock and Cheltenham.

It is probably fair to assume that he has been lined up for another attempt at this race. He is 8lb higher, which demands improvement but it is perhaps worth noting that he is only 2lb off top on weight-adjusted RPRs.

It is also important to note that improvement is almost certainly a prerequisite for whatever wins, given the make-up of the field. Six of the 18 runners are five-year-olds and one, Triumph Hurdle fifth Sir Psycho, is four.

Despite his evident class, Sir Psycho is seemingly not the Paul Nicholls first string. Harry Cobden is on Saint Sonnet, who took the notably unusual route from his British debut to the Cheltenham Festival in just a couple of weeks. He was not beaten very far in the Marsh Novices' Chase and arguably shaped a little better than that suggests. The question is to what extent he is ready to roll first time up.

Beyond the youngsters, there is at least one notably interesting seven-year-old. The free-going Khage was a promising novice hurdler at one stage, winning three times in early 2019 including twice over two miles here. His chasing career never took off and his return to hurdles was only a little better. He starts off for Christian Williams on a good mark and his trainer is more than shrewd enough to know as much.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

Lacey and Burke team up again

Johnny Burke, who moved to Britain from Ireland in 2017, is riding like he feels right at home now and one paid-up member of his fan club is Tom Lacey, who has booked the talented jockey for Tea Clipper.

Burke has ridden for Lacey 24 times this season, winning nine times at a healthy 38 per cent strike-rate.

"We try to team up as much as we can," said the trainer, who is based on a picturesque estate in Herefordshire.

As for Tea Clipper, he won a brace of novice hurdles at Warwick and Kempton last term before a handicap hurdle success at Huntingdon.

Burke was aboard when the promising five-year-old, who runs in the colours of Jerry Hinds and Ashley Head, was second at the Cambridgeshire circuit in February.

"He's there with a really live chance," added Lacey.

"He appears to be in good order and it should be beautiful ground, which he'll love."

The Silver Trophy is backed by the Wasdell Group, a Swindon-based pharmaceutical service company, whose chairman Martin Tedham also sponsors Jonjo O'Neill's Jackdaws Castle base.

What they say

Ben Pauling, trainer of Doubly Clever
When we received him I thought he was fairly high in the handicap, but he's won twice very nicely and we've had this in mind for a long time. We were concerned the ground would go against us, but it looks like we might get away with it and it might end up good ground. He's off a career-high mark, so we're not thrown in, but he's in very good order, so who knows.

Joe Tizzard, assistant to Colin Tizzard, trainer of Beaufort West
He ran in this last year and needed a wind op, after which he won his next two nicely. We just think it's a good place to start off and it's been the plan since he's been back in. He's off a similar mark as last year and it's competitive, but we'd like to think he's a strong each-way chance, and he's a stronger individual from 12 months ago.
Reporting by James Burn

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