David Probert Ready To Fire At Chepstow Opener

By Graham Thomas

Welsh jockey David Probert will be aiming to continue his encouraging start to the flat racing season when the opening flat meeting takes place at Chepstow Racecourse on Tuesday night.

Probert has already passed 50 winners for 2024, the last of which came at Ascot last Friday when he rode Arctic Thunder to victory for trainer Andrew Balding.

The “Bargoed Bullet” also enjoyed a spectacular April with a strike rate of 38 per cent that included six winners in the opening five days of the month.

Our Flat Season Opener tomorrow sees the first qualifier in the new Chepstow Mile Series!

Horses that run in these qualifiers will be eligible to race in the final on 26th August for £30,000! pic.twitter.com/Af8nITzTYw

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) May 13, 2024

What Probert is really seeking this season, however, is a first Group 1 winner and he recently admitted to Sky Sports Racing, “That would be the dream.

“We take it one week at a time and hopefully I can try and find one. It is always the elusive first Group 1, fingers crossed it comes this year.

“Everyone has to be consistent in this game. It’s about getting on a roll and I’ve done that this season so hopefully there’s many more to come.”

Probert’s 50 winners places him fourth in the Annual Flat Jockeys Championship, behind leader Rossa Ryan, Oisin Murphy and Hollie Doyle.

He will bid to make ground on those ahead of him at Chepstow where he has three rides, starting with Khangai in the opening 5.40 Tom Jones Live In July handicap.

Probert then rides Port Noir in the 8.10, a winner at Chepstow in April, before his final mount, Adrian, in the 8.40.

Chepstow’s opening flat season meeting is followed by another summer race night on May 31, before the themed One Night in Nashville Raceday on June 8.

Six rides for @Rossaryan15 at our opening flat meeting of 2024 this Tuesday 14th May – now a 7 race card starting at 5.40pm. last race 8.40pm – https://t.co/MtI7fJGt5G pic.twitter.com/re5pf2SybT

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) May 12, 2024