TEN-times champion trainer Paul Nicholls is preparing a major assault on the feature races at Chepstow’s Totepool Jump Season Opener this weekend.

He has entered 24 horses over the weekend, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th October.

And his fellow West Country trainer Colin Tizzard looks set to give his star hurdler Finian’s Oscar his chasing debut on Saturday, in a race won by Cue Card six years ago.

The meeting could also see the hurdling debut of Tizzard’s Goffs Land Rover bumper winner Vision Des Flos. He’s been entered in a novices’ hurdle on Saturday and also the Tote Persian War Novices’ Hurdle on Sunday.

Chepstow’s fixture, which has been run as a two-day meeting since 2015, has attracted many stars of the jumping game in recent years, including Native River and Altior.

This year’s prize money is £286,000 over two days.

There are 32 entries in the feature race on Saturday, the £50,000 Grade 3 Totepool Silver Trophy. Paul Nicholls has entered Peak to Peak and Old Guard. Harry Fry has four entries – Misterton, Bags Groove, Drumcliff and Golden Birthday, who won on the flat at Kempton on Monday night.

River Frost, trained by Alan King and owned by JP McManus, is also in the line-up along with the Evan Williams-trained Court Minstrel, the 40-1 winner of the race in 2015.

Fourteen horses are entered in Saturday’s Listed Totequadpot Robert Mottram Memorial Novices’ Chase, including Finian’s Oscar and three from the Nicholls yard – Black Corton, Bagad Bihoue and six times chase winner Alcala.

On Sunday, the feature race is the £35,000 Grade Two Tote Persian War Novices Hurdle, named after the three-time Champion Hurdle winner. Previous winners include Blaklion, Silviniaco Conti, Fingal Bay and El Bandit.

As well as Vision Des Flos, the race has attracted Present Man and Amour De Nuit from the Paul Nicholls yard and Dan Skelton’s recent Market Rasen Listed winner Listen To The Man.

Prior to racing on Saturday, the Jump Legends Charity Race in aid of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust will see top jockeys from the past including Graham Bradley, Charlie Mann and Sam Thomas don their silks once more.

On Sunday, there will be plenty of free entertainment including the chance to meet internet sensations Wocket Woy and the Pwoducer!

Executive director of Chepstow Racecourse, Phil Bell, said, “We are delighted with the entries for a meeting which genuinely does start the winter jumping campaign in the UK.

“Our customers are guaranteed to see some quality horses over two top class days. Last year’s attendance was the best for more than ten years and advance bookings for this year’s meeting are a record."

Trainer Paul Nicholls said: “When our horses come back in from their summer breaks, we always view Chepstow’s October meeting as the fixture to target with some of our established stars and exciting prospects for the future. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Tickets on Saturday start from £22 and on Sunday from £20. Hospitality packages are also available. For more information, visit www.chepstow-racecourse.co.uk.