Welsh Grand National: Jamie Lynch's guide for Chepstow's showpiece

[ad_1] Jamie Lynch, our Senior Kind Analyst, weighs up the credentials of ten of the highest candidates for Chepstow's premier contest on Friday, reside on Sky Sports activities Racing.

The Coral Welsh Grand Nationwide, at 2.50pm on Friday, is a race with a wealthy historical past, applied within the nineteenth century, and it has stood the check of time. It nonetheless has nice pulling energy, highlighted by this 12 months's entries.

The trial on the monitor in early December has been the pivotal pointer to the race in recent times, however now we have no such clue this time after that assembly was misplaced to Storm Darragh, and so, to assist with the homework, here is a abstract of the primary contenders for the Chepstow showpiece and a (pre-declarations) verdict on one of the best wager.

Watch the Coral Welsh Grand Nationwide from Chepstow reside on Sky Sports activities Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) on Friday twenty seventh December.

Evies Vladimir Coach: G P Cromwell

An intriguing contender from an Irish secure with a superb document with its British raiders (21 winners within the final three seasons). This lad sat on the sidelines for 18 months after laying the groundwork however took off final season whereas promising larger heights sooner or later, and remained within the combine when falling on the third-last within the Porterstown on his comeback. He has hidden depths, however one factor that is clear from his document is that he loves the mud.

Fontaine Collanges Miss V Williams

This runner returned with a bang at Haydock (beating Monbeg Genius and firm) however that is commonplace for her, given recent is mostly one of the best time to catch her, in distinction to her dimmer second begin again which have seen her path in fifth, fourth and ninth in earlier seasons - a problematic sample for Chepstow. On the face of it, an 8lb rise to 148 for her demolition job at Haydock is under no circumstances harsh, however historical past warns of a replica, and she or he has obtained misplaced in massive fields previously.

Galia Des Liteaux D Skelton

Her two makes an attempt at marathons have arguably been her best-ever runs - second within the Traditional Chase (from the mark she's again to now) and eighth within the Grand Nationwide when nonetheless within the thick of issues approaching the final. She hasn't hit her prime line up to now this season however the floor hasn't been so gentle as fits her and she or he regarded nearly as good as new for a lot of the Coral Gold Cup. This race is tailored for her.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-galia-des-liteaux_6785153.jpg?20241226101901" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/384x216/skysports-galia-des-liteaux_6785153.jpg?20241226101901 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-galia-des-liteaux_6785153.jpg?20241226101901 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/1600x900/skysports-galia-des-liteaux_6785153.jpg?20241226101901 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/2048x1152/skysports-galia-des-liteaux_6785153.jpg?20241226101901 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Galia Des Liteaux"/> Picture: Galia Des Liteaux Iron Bridge Jonjo & A J O'Neill

It is best to concentrate on the 17 he beat relatively than the one he could not (34 lengths behind runaway winner Nassalam) when assessing his second on this race final 12 months, and he is 6lbs decrease within the handicap now, by advantage of operating in exhausting races relatively than any lack of skill as such. His reappearance at Carlisle was hardly a adequate stamina check, due to this fact shaping properly for third below 12st1lb behind Val Dancer, and every thing is in place for a giant run from him. He is gone a little bit below the radar with the secure sending Monbeg Genius as properly.

Iwilldoit S Thomas

He is been there, accomplished that and obtained a number of t-shirts. The 2021 Welsh Nationwide hero, in addition to practically profitable the race with out Nassalam final 12 months (simply behind Iron Bridge) when having prime weight, partnered by a 7-lb conditional then as right here. He'll be turning 12 in a number of days however he is comparatively low mileage and, although lengthy absent, he is presumably been stored recent for this, remembering that he received the Traditional Chase first trip in 2023.

Jubilee Categorical S Thomas

The least uncovered after simply ten runs, however he is already proven what he's, a stamina-stacked mudlark, highlighted by the end result to final season when grinding it out over 3½m on not simply heavy however Haydock heavy. No sooner did he cross the road that day than Sam Thomas most likely hatched a plan in direction of the Welsh Nationwide, an acceptable staying check, and the shortage of a prep run is not so off-putting with him given the first-time document of the secure which produced Iwilldoit to win a Traditional Chase after a 12 months out.

Monbeg Genius Jonjo & A J O'Neill

What's nonetheless implanted in my thoughts is his third within the 2023 Ultima behind none apart from Corach Rambler and Fastorslow, a surprise that he hasn't managed to win since, however at the very least he began this season higher than he ended the final one by ending second (to Fontaine Collonges) at Haydock. Together with his instruments and expertise, he may win this simply, however trusting him to do it's one other matter, and the belief points prolong to stamina at Chepstow, his first ever marathon.

Stuzzikini G Elliott

This contender has youth on his facet at simply six years previous, of which there've been 5 winners within the final 20 years. He sprang one thing of a shock within the Troytown at odds of 20-1 final time when the yard had 9 runners however the problem for the Welsh Nationwide is much less the elevated check (shapes like an intensive stayer) and extra the elevated mark, up 9lbs.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-stuzzikini-racing_6785177.jpg?20241226112120" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/384x216/skysports-stuzzikini-racing_6785177.jpg?20241226112120 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-stuzzikini-racing_6785177.jpg?20241226112120 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/1600x900/skysports-stuzzikini-racing_6785177.jpg?20241226112120 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/2048x1152/skysports-stuzzikini-racing_6785177.jpg?20241226112120 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Stuzzikini"/> Picture: Stuzzikini That appears extreme on the face of it given the shape did not actually match the title at Navan however what underpins his likelihood is the easy truth he is an unexposed horse from an Irish superpower secure.

The place It All Started G Elliott

Winless in his first seven chases however lastly flexing his stamina muscle groups made the distinction within the Grand Nationwide Trial at Punchestown (received by 16 lengths on heavy floor) and doubtless sacrificed his likelihood within the Irish Nationwide itself by operating within the Kim Muir at Cheltenham the place he was a good fourth to Inothewayurthinkin. Nonetheless a way of unfinished enterprise about him, particularly in endurance phrases, however it's a giant ask to come back right here first trip even when we're coping with Gordon Elliott.

Your Personal Story Miss Lucinda V Russell

You do not want a level to diagnose the problem with Your Personal Story, a certain case of "seconditis," ending runner-up on no fewer than eight events over fences, together with in endurance occasions at Punchestown final Could and Kelso, within the Borders Nationwide, final time. He'll go properly for a great distance but when he could not win these how is he going to win this?

JAMIE LYNCH'S VERDICT As soon as bitten twice shy, they are saying, however I put up GALIA DES LITEAUX for the Coral Gold Cup and suppose that losses could be recouped right here within the face of a extra appropriate check, the corporate rather less scorching, the journey that for much longer and, crucially, the bottom appreciably softer. If Dan Skelton may have designed a race for her, I am fairly certain it might look so much like this.