The Badger Beers raceday is the highlight of Wincanton’s Jump racing season with the feature race being the ultra-competitive Silver Trophy.
The race is open to horses four years and older and is run over a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong.
The 2019 race has 22 entries, including the 2017 and 2018 winner Present Man who will be partnered once again by Bryony Frost. Can the Mark Woodhouse-owned gelding make history and win it for the third year in a row?
Badger Beers: Trends & Statistics
- All of the last 10 winners were aged between six and nine.
- All of the last 10 winners were rated 144 or lower.
- 9 of the last 10 winners carried 11-07 or less.
- 8 of the last 10 winners had won over further than 2m 7f.
- 8 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 in one of their last 2 starts.
- 7 of the last 10 winners had between 2 and 4 runs that year.
- 7 of the last 10 winners had won a race that year.
Here is your runner-by-runner guide to the full Badger Beers Silver Trophy field (as of 07.11.19). Let's hope the weather impacts horse racing too much this weekend...
White Moon
White Moon was well fancied in the betting on his seasonal return at Wincanton last month and was still in front when falling at the last.
Colin Tizzard won with Gentleman John three years ago and often targets this early feature race.
Present Man
The nine-year-old is bidding to complete the hat-trick on Saturday off a 4lb higher mark than he humped around last year.
His task looks a pretty tall one given how his form tailed off after winning this on his seasonal debut last season.
Give Me A Copper
Paul Nicholls is looking for an unprecedented tenth success in this race and this may well be the horse he does it with.
Fourth in the Bet365 Chase at Sandown on the last day of last season, the nine-year-old is relatively unexposed.
Cloth Cap
Cloth Cap was last seen finishing a distant fourth behind Ballyoptic at Chepstow which is not mean feat given what that horse did last weekend.
Jonjo O’Neill’s runner is sure to come on for that run.
Johanos
Narrowly went down to Truckers Lodge last time at Chepstow and is held in high regard by his trainer Nigel Hawk. He could be an improver.
West Approach
“Forever the bridesmaid but never the bride” springs to mind when assessing this Colin Tizzard runner. He is highly likely to be on the premises again but for win purposes you have to have your doubts.
Lil Rockerfeller
Versatile performer who always puts in a maximum effort, but hurdling is his main forte and there are just too many chinks in his chasing form to make him a serious betting proposition here.
The Young Master
“Won” this race as a five-year-old, only to be disqualified for not being eligible to actually race in it. Now at the veteran stage of his career he could run a big race, but he would not want it too soft.
Just A Sting
The seven-year-old runs well fresh as he showed when winning at Uttoxeter on his reappearance last October.
Harry Fry was due to run him at Cheltenham’s opening fixture of the season but he was declared a non-runner.
Achille
Progressed well for Venetia Williams last season and is one who likes to get his heel in, as his victory at Ffos Las so proved.
Williams claimed this prize back in 1998 with Teeton Mill.
Beau Du Brizais
The seven-year-old has been busy already this season with four runs under his belt, the last of which was when finishing runner-up here to Wandrin Star over slightly further.
The Hobbs runner could be an each-way player.
Rock The Kasbah
A solid chaser on his day and a nine time winner in all. Won a decent handicap chase at Cheltenham last November before being brought down in the Grand National and being pulled up at Sandown.
He is just the type who can bounce back fresh.
Calipto
Ran a cracking race behind Go Conquer in the Great Yorkshire Chase last season before accounting for Black Corton at Ascot in his next race.
He was pulled up in the Ultima Chase at The Festival but this is much more his level.
Walk In The Mill
Robert Walford’s nine-year-old won the Becher Chase at Aintree last December before returning to the same venue in April to finish a creditable fourth behind Tiger Roll.
It would come as a surprise not to see another podium finish from him in this race.
Sumkindofking
The Tom George-trained runner came with a late rattle in this last year to just go down by two and a half lengths to Present Man.
The eight-year-old recently finished fourth here to Wandrin Star so has to be considered.
Soupy Soups
Won a nice little race at Perth a couple of starts ago but whether he can bring home the croutons on Saturday afternoon remains to be seen.
Royal Vacation
A grand servant for Colin Tizzard and his owner Mrs Jean Bishop. He just went down to Rock The Kasbah in the BetVictor Chase last November so clearly still retains plenty of ability.
Carole's Destrier
Neil Mulhollands’ veteran campaigner would probably prefer conditions underfoot a little less testing so there must be question marks over his participation.
Wicked Willy
A Perth regular for Nigel Twiston-Davies who does not look to be anywhere near the same class as some of these.
Cobra De Mai
Pulled up behind Vinndication at Ascot last weekend when going off a 50/1 shot and jumped badly in the rear. Look elsewhere.
Walt
Took the 888sport Handicap Chase at Kempton back in February but has shown nothing like that form since. The eight-year-old needs to bounce back to form quickly to figure.
Whisper
The eleven-year-old beat Clan Des Obeaux twice as recently as 2017 but he has seriously been on the wane since.
He has since moved to Sam Thomas but his debut run for that stable was uncharacteristically poor.
Badger Beers Silver Trophy: Conclusion
I’m a big fan of the Venetia Williams stable at this time of the year, especially if she gets her favoured wet weather, and the Vida Bigham-owned Achille fits the bill for me in this race - you should get good horse racing betting odds on the 9-year-old this weekend.
He is on an upward curve and a race like this looks well within his compass. As a back-up, I will naturally be having an each-way saver on Calipto who really impressed me last season too.
