The Persian War Novice Hurdle (Grade 2), feature race on day one of Chepstow’s three-day DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival, was won by 16/1 shot West Hill Verde, trained by Seamus Mullins and ridden by Welsh jockey Callum Pritchard.
The six-year-old gelding took up the running from 2 out but was headed shortly before the last hurdle by the smooth-travelling La Cote Fleurie (backed down from 8/1 to 5/1), a rare Chepstow runner from the stable of Henry de Bromhead. The Irish raider, however, was less than perfect at the final obstacle, allowing West Hill Verde to make full use of his position on the inside rail to surge clear and win going away by three and a quarter lengths.
The favourite, Cosmic Connection (15/8), trailed in last but one, having never been better than mid-division. His jockey, Freddie Gordon, reported that the gelding had “stopped quickly”.
The stewards also looked into the performance of sixth-placed Lord Byron (7/2), for which trainer Fay Bramley could “offer no explanation”.
Links
- Results for 2026-10-09 (Racing Post)
- Stewards’ Report for Chepstow 2026-10-09 [PDF] (BHA)
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