Christian Williams and Jack Tudor Flying Welsh Flag at Chepstow’s New Racing Festival

Chepstow Racecourse will break new ground next week when it stages the inaugural DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival – and no yard will be prouder to send out runners than that of Christian Williams.

The Vale of Glamorgan trainer, who made his name in the saddle before turning to training, sees the three-day meeting from October 10–12 as the perfect stage to launch the National Hunt season and showcase Welsh racing talent.

“Obviously, starting at Chepstow is great for us. It’s a Welsh track, a great jumps track, and it’s very exciting there to see the first chase, going down over those fences,” said Williams.

“I used to ride on it years ago, so hopefully we'll have plenty of runners there and it would be great to come away with a winner.

“It's also wonderful that DragonBet have got behind it. They are a Welsh company, it’s a Welsh meeting, and it’s just great that they have put their name behind the festival.”

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A stronger start to the season

For decades, Chepstow’s two-day jumps opener has marked the start of winter racing.

Now expanded into a three-day festival, with over £500,000 in prize-money and the return of the Welsh Champion Hurdle from Ffos Las, the fixture is being billed as the most significant change to the Welsh calendar in years.

The programme will include the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle, the Native River Handicap Chase and the Silver Trophy, races known for launching future stars. 

Previous winners and runners at this meeting include Altior, who began his record-breaking unbeaten run there in 2015.

Williams is already dreaming one of his emerging names might follow in the footsteps of stable stars Potters Corner, Kitty’s Light or Win My Wings.

“We look to have good strong team of horses,” he explained. 

“Obviously, the new horses haven't run yet so we're still dreaming that one of them is going to be the next Potters Corner, Kitty's Light, or Win My Wings.

“It's up to them now. I try not to talk them up too much and try and get them into their grades, and, hopefully, they can start winning fairly soon.

“We'll have plenty of horses to run in the first novice hurdle and then they'll just find their grade. We obviously hope going in that one of them will turn up and be good enough to win but it doesn't always work out like that.”

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Tudor’s excitement for Welsh racing

If Williams has been the driving force in the training ranks, then his stable jockey Jack Tudor has become one of the standard-bearers for a golden generation of Welsh riders.

“It's brilliant for Wales,” said Tudor, who made the top 10  in the Jump Jockeys Championship last season, a title won for the first time by Pembrokeshire’s Sean Bowen.

“The Chepstow season opener has been the starting point for the last few years, but I'm sure it's even more of a stand-out meeting now for people to target horses at.

“Wales is obviously doing very well at the moment. There are plenty of jockeys who have been pretty successful. 

“There were four of us in the top ten last year. I think Wales is in a great place and it's actually getting stronger.”

Tudor, still only 22, combines his role with Williams with opportunities at David Pipe’s Somerset yard, giving him a formidable book of potential rides at the festival.

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“I’m in a fairly lucky position in that I’ve got Christian's support for me and David Pipe’s, so there'll be plenty of horses between the two yards to ride,” he said.

Among the names Tudor is most looking forward to are Deep Cave, who he hopes to ride over fences, and Golden Prince, a promising novice.

“Deep Cave – it would be lovely to get my leg over him, especially over a fence. I had plenty of fun with him over hurdles last year. I think the problem could be he might clash with one of David's, Neon Moon, who actually won the Native River Chase last year.

“I like a horse called Golden Prince – a good-looking horse, a good-moving horse. His work hasn't been ‘wow’, but he does everything nicely. He’ll do a little bit more now and fingers crossed that will put him in a good place to run at Chepstow.

“And then a nice horse that seems to have improved this year is Last Rodeo. He'll be pretty exciting, so fingers crossed so he can have a successful weekend.”

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Welsh pride and new opportunities

The festival’s creation has been welcomed as a chance to give Welsh racing greater identity and recognition, especially with DragonBet, the family-run bookmaker founded in Cardiff, taking on headline sponsorship.

DragonBet boss James Lovell said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the headline sponsors of the newly formed Welsh Racing Festival, especially with our family’s longstanding connection to Chepstow since the late 1960s.

“This festival carries all the prestige and excitement that fans have come to expect from the traditional jump season opener, while offering an affordable, accessible way for racegoers to enjoy everything a festival has to offer.”

Tickets start at £24 per day, with three-day passes priced at £39. 

Organisers are also launching a Welsh Racing Hall of Fame and the Piercefield Cup Trainers’ Championship across the three days.

Chepstow’s general manager Luke Admans said: “This festival builds on everything that made the jump season opener such a highlight of the calendar. 

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“By transforming it into the DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival, and bringing home the Welsh Champion Hurdle, we’re creating a sporting and cultural event that celebrates the very best of Wales.”

For Williams and Tudor, though, the focus remains firmly on the horses.

“It will be very exciting to have the good jumpers back in,” Williams said.

“Hopefully one of our youngsters will step up. It’s always about finding the next one.”

And if that next one comes at Chepstow, it would be the perfect way to kick off not just a festival, but a new era for Welsh racing.

DragonBet Welsh Horse Racing Festival – At a glance

📍 Venue: Chepstow Racecourse
📅 Dates: Friday 10 October – Sunday 12 October 2025
🎽 Headline Races:

• Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (Friday)
• Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle (Saturday)
• Welsh Champion Hurdle & Native River Handicap Chase (Sunday)

 

💷 Prize Money: Over £500,000 across three days
🎟 Tickets: £13 per day, £39 for a three-day pass
🎶 Extras: Welsh Racing Hall of Fame, Piercefield Cup Trainers’ Championship, live music and entertainment