By Phil Bell, executive director of Chepstow and Ffos Las Racecourses

We were honoured that two of our races on Monday were run in memory of Rose Loxton, a key member of the Paul Nicholls team for many years who sadly passed away in August, aged 59.

Rose began working for the 11-times champion trainer in 2002 and progressed to head girl, looking after the likes of four-time World Hurdle winner Big Buck’s and the legendary Kauto Star.

In 2010, she started training point-to-pointers and proved highly successful, saddling 55 winners from 104 runners in points and 23 winners from 47 runners in hunter chases.

With the former Paul Nicholls-trained Caid Du Berlais, Rose was victorious in the Champion Hunters Chase at Punchestown in 2018 and 2019. She also trained Shantou Flyer, who finished third in this year’s Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Monday’s memorial races were arranged by owner Andy Stewart, owner of Big Buck’s and many other top class horses. The day ended perfectly when Chavez, trained by Paul Nicholls, won one of the races named in Rose’s memory.

Plenty of racehorses have been owned by sportsmen and women over the years and personalities from the worlds of football and rugby were represented at Ffos Las last Sunday.

Harry Redknapp owned the opening winner of the day, the aptly named Shakem Up’Arry. The six-year-old was the first of three winners on the card for jockey Harry Cobden who looks like making a serious challenge for the championship this season.

Welsh rugby internationals Gareth Davies and Rob Evans were celebrating again when their gelding Robin of Sherwood won the three-mile handicap chase for trainer Dai Rees and jockey Tom Cannon. The horse was following up a course and distance victory in early October.

Owners were not allowed to attend Ffos Las on Sunday because it was just within the Welsh Government’s ‘fire-break’ lockdown. The new post-lockdown rules (in force for Chepstow on Monday) mean a total of 30 owners can attend race meetings which isn’t going to be easy to administrate because in pre-Covid times we had at least 100 owners wishing to come and see their horses run.

The Chepstow and Ffos Las Racing Club has a new horse, the nine-year-old Danboru trained by Tim Vaughan. He’s a seasoned campaigner who always runs his race.

He is officially rated 117 over fences and 122 over hurdles and will more than likely campaign over both in decent company. He has recorded solid Racing Post ratings on both good and soft ground so also looks ground versatile. He’s won or been placed eight times from 18 runs.

The cost of club membership is £495 and it will run from November 2020 to April 2021 inclusive. For more details of club membership and the terms and conditions, call Martin Higgs on 07831 752056 or email martinhiggsracing@gmail.com