Is Nicholls winner a statement of intent to get a summer head start?
Small fields have been plaguing the early weeks of the new Jumps season, barely raising an eyebrow now that attention has turned to the Flat.
Not so in France, where the early summer marquee weekend at Auteuil saw healthy fields and another big race winner for the Willie Mullins bandwagon, successful in France's leading 4 year olds hurdle with Selma de Vary on Sunday alongside our own card.
Stratford's ability to water copiously is enabling us to hold our own in this rain-free month, but it's far from ideal, reflected in a card that attracted under 40 runners. But Britain's weather has a habit of coming in cycles; we will be cursing the wet conditions before the end of the summer is out, no doubt.
As a result, it was a day for favourite backers, with short odds jollies collecting in five of the seven races. Faces got longer and longer in the ring, a brief respite during races 5 and 6 mustering wry smiles amongst layers.
Bad news has been pursuing Paul Nicholls for months, a series of high profile owners opting for new pastures a blow to the likeable West Countryman. Change is afoot at Ditcheat however, as daughter Olive joins the family business as well as her elder sister Megan.
This powerful triumvirate can reinvigorate one of the country's top yards, and whilst a Championship opportunity appears to have flown the coop for a while, Ditcheat can power its way back into regular top flight competition. In truth, 2025-26 was hardly a disaster, with 94 winners amassing over £2m in prize money, but festival success has been elusive - the nirvana for a yard which sets its bar high.
Stratford in May is not a high bar we'll admit, but any Nicholls runner is welcome. Freddie Gingell maintained a superlative strike rate for his principal employer on Jean d'Oudairies when ridden out to a 9l victory over I Am the Moon under Twiston-Davies steam in the Deryck Baker Memorial Handicap Hurdle, a 3m2f contest that attracted just five. Gingell's record to date for Nicholls is 43%.
The closest finish of the afternoon had come a half hour earlier, as Sean Quinlan on the Jennie Candlish - trained Captain Cool fended off a late challenge from Brendan Powell on Definite Dream to justify 2/1 favouritism. This novices handicap chase attracted 6 runners, run at a modest pace, which allowed all 6 to finish, but did not reflect the good to firm conditions. This was a debut chasing performance from Captain Cool, but only just, a short head the winning margin.
Jamie Snowden has seamlessly switched seasons without drawing breath, and the flow of winners hasn't slackened. Last season was the career best for his Lambourn yard, and Our Guide maintained the momentum with the yard's seventh winner of the term in the opening 2m6f Novices Hurdle with an assured 3 1/4l lead over Ka Mate du Brivet. Our Guide hasn't beaten much to date, but 2 from 3 is a step in the right direction, under guidance from Gavin Sheehan.
Five declared runners became three in the William Austin 50 Years Celebration Handicap Chase over 2m3f. Four out, three became two when the Skelton runner tipped up, but thereafter it became a procession, A Little Something concluding the race in a canter under Ben Jones, the second recorded at a distance of 99l which might as well have been across the county border. The race's sole saving grace was the owner of the winner, one Zara Tindall.
Just when you thought the odds couldn't get any shorter, a surprise winner in the form of 22/1 shot Prettylady had us scratching our heads in confusion as Toby Wynne produced the four year old to lead before the last in the 2m handicap hurdle. Joint licence holders Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero looked as perplexed also having no explanation to offer to the stewards for any improvement in form. As indicated by the down-the-field performance of the Greatrex - trained favourite, Frank Stamper, horses have both off-days and the occasional "on"-day.
Eight had been declared for the 2m6f handicap chase, but the same bedevilment met this field also overnight, two falling to vet's certificates.
This gave the best opportunity to Bagheera Ginge to improve on his two winning starts over fences to date for the Twiston-Davies family, and he did so with some elan, making all to win by 7l. He's been a flagbearer for Grange Hill's summer team, generally at his best on good ground.
Favourite backers were back on top again to see out the day, as Bound For Glory merely had to be shaken up by Cieran Gethings to win the maiden bumper at the end of the day. How the judge messured the 76l to second and 120l to the lst horse will remain one of the mysteries of the day.
Trainer Robert Stephens frequents our flat venues more than jumps yards presently from his Monmouth yard, but is indicative of the strength of racing now in South Wales.
