The Coral Welsh Grand National is my favourite jumps race of the whole season, largely because I have enjoyed a good record in the race over the years.
You need a strong stayer, a good jumper and a well-handicapped horse to win the race. Usually, you want a mud-lover too but that’s not guaranteed this time around because of the lack of rain this autumn and early winter.
Chepstow, with its undulations and fairly tight turns, is a specialist track as well, so I usually only fancy horses with strong form at the course.
This year, however, I am going to make an exception and back a horse that ran in the race last year, only to be pulled up after his jockey lost an iron following a blunder at the ninth fence.
THE BIG DOG comes into the race this year hoping to land a hat-trick of big-race victories after two excellent wins in big-field handicaps in Ireland.
Peter Fahey’s nine-year-old gelding is extremely well handicapped as he can race here off only a 4lbs penalty for his win at Navan last month.
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