The Scout has named Glynn Brae as the pick for the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy at Chepstow on Saturday, with the horse fancied to uphold family tradition at the track.
Glynn Brae tipped for Chepstow success
Glynn Brae (4.02) is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, who shares the Grange Hill Farm licence with his son Willy. The stable has won this prize four times before, with Mister Morose (1998), Mistanoora (2004), Ballyoptic (2016) and Josh The Boss (2024).
The stable's Masked Man is the ante-post favourite after a 12-length victory in a novices' hurdle at this meeting last year. Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the five-year-old finished second to Diamond Hunter in a Grade Two at Haydock, with the third horse Sticktotheplan later taking silver in the County Hurdle at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Masked Man was off a mark of 138 then and could be nicely weighted on 132, but odds of 4-1 are considered short in a race likely to have plenty of runners.
Cosmic Connection and Time To Turn selections
At double the price, Glynn Brae is given plenty of respect due to a solid rating of 136 and a record of winning half of his 12 races under Rules. Two-and-a-half miles appears to be his best trip, and he has scored first time up in each season he has raced. He also likes to be ridden handy, a useful trait around Chepstow.
In Friday's Grade Two DragonBet Persian War Novices' Hurdle, Lord Byron sets the standard after efforts at the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown festivals. However, odds of 3-1 for Cosmic Connection (3.43) appeal, as the horse thrived after switching to Chris Gordon's yard last term and finished by readily shouldering top weight in Sandown's bet365 Novices' Championship Final.
Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies suggested this target, and with course form in the bag, Cosmic Connection looks ready to step up as an exciting prospect for 2026-7.
Time To Turn (2.25) made a big move on his first run back in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown before emerging with credit in the Group One Jean Prat at Deauville. The only three-year-old in Newmarket's Group Two Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes on Friday, he was impressive in the Horris Hill last October.
Paddys Policy preferred at Newmarket
On Thursday, Knighton has the ability to win a little contest, but preference is for Paddys Policy (1.56). The top weight has had issues, so should be firing first time out, and is now 3lb lower than when finishing a length-and-a-half behind Max Of Stars on his return from a 209-day break at this time last year, with William Maggs taking the mount's weight down again by the same amount.
