14:50 Chepstow

Monday 27 December 2021

All12:3013:0513:4014:1014:5015:2515:55

Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:53 | Winning time: 8m 29.21s

Native River^p²³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 166| BF| C

16/1

2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner who also took this in 2016. Still capable of top-class form last term but he underperformed by quite some way when remote second on Aintree return. Change of headgear.

Form: 1/3143-2

Elegant Escape²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 156| C

28/1

Winner of this race in 2018. Off 21 months, found 2m over hurdles an inadequate test onf Sandown return but it should have blown away some cobwebs and this trip is much more suitable.

Form: 236P0/7

Kimberlite Candy^b1²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: R P McLernon| T: T Lacey| OR: 150| C

33/1

Runner-up in Becher Chase at Aintree in 2019 and 2020 but returned with a rather lacklustre display in that same race 23 days ago. Possibly best watched after that. Blinkered first time.

Form: P21/2P-7

Truckers Lodge^b1²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 150| C

28/1

Winner of Midlands Grand National in 2020. Also second and seventh in the last 2 runnings of this. Well behind Iwilldoit on course return but this has presumably been the target. Blinkered first time.

Form: 21/U77-5

Mighty Thunder^p,t⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 150

18/1

Vastly improved last season, bagging fourth win of the campaign in Scottish National at Ayr. Should be sharper for Wetherby return and could have even more to come at marathon trips.

Form: 16121-4

Highland Hunter²³^{(ex 4)}

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 145

11/1

Typical steady improver from his yard who took it up another notch when edging out Deise Aba in London National at Sandown on return. Slightly longer trip now should play to strengths. Respected.

Form: 3F125-1

The Big Dog²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Burke| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 147

11/1

Well suited step up to 3½m when winning at Punchestown in February. Below form in chase/hurdle around 3m this term but better can be expected now stepping back up in trip. Yard does well in Britain.

Form: U331-30

Ramses De Teillee^p1,t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 146| C

20/1

Second to Elegant Escape in this in 2018. Latest Haydock fourth shows he's still capable of smart form. Goes well on testing ground. Has first-time cheekpieces added to usual tongue strap.

Form: 7049-34

Mac Tottie^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 142

40/1

Ended 2020/21 on a high and all the better for return when winning Grand Sefton at Aintree (21f) in October. Fell early in the Becher there since.

Form: P12-41F

Achille^p²³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-1| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 141

16/1

Shaped likely a well-handicapped horse for much of way and possibly just needed run after 9 months off when 23 lengths fifth of 21 in Becher at Aintree. Should be spot on now.

Form: 12/226-5

Secret Reprieve³⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 140| CD

6/1

Big improver last winter, running out an impressive winner of this contest when last seen in January. Absent since but he likely has more to come as a lightly-raced 7-y-o. Leading claims.

Form: 522/F11-

Discordantly^t1³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 140

18/1

Useful chaser who returned with a respectable sixth of 16 in Troytown at Navan (3m) 36 days ago. Yard's runners over here always respected but he's not obviously well treated. Tongue tied first time.

Form: 9UF6P-6

Deise Aba^p²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 140| BF| C

8/1

Has returned with good runner-up efforts at Aintree (hurdle) and in London National at Sandown. Went down by only a nose to Highland Hunter in latter and 4 lb better off with him now.

Form: PP1P-22

Hold That Taught⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 135

17/2

Has taken well to chasing and landed a gamble as he opened his account in this sphere on return in 3¼m Carlisle handicap 8 weeks ago, asserting with a bit in hand. More to come.

Form: 5/2323-1

Colorado Doc^h²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: C Brace| T: D Brace| OR: 134

50/1

Notched third success under Rules when landing Worcester novice hurdle in October. Eased late on and better than latest 24 lengths second to Iwilldoit here (3m) might suggest but stamina a big worry.

Form: 21-1422

Iwilldoit²³^{(ex 4)}

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Stan Sheppard| T: S Thomas| OR: 130| C

13/2

Just his third outing over fences when bolting up over 3m here 23 days ago, jumping well under a positive ride. Effectively 10 lb higher now (6 lb out of handicap) but it may not prevent a bold bid.

Form: 1/6273-1

Eva's Oskar¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 132| C

28/1

Returned better than ever when scoring over 3m here in October and has backed it up with seconds at Ascot and Cheltenham since. 8 lb out of the handicap here, though.

Form: F44-122

Captain Drake^b1,t³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 132

28/1

Ran a blinder when 6 lengths fourth to Secret Reprieve in this race last season. Hasn't reproduced that level in his 3 subsequent outings so relying on a return to this venue sparking a revival.

Form: P540-94

Hill Sixteen²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: A M Thomson| OR: 132

20/1

Useful chaser who was back to form with a bang on just second outing for this yard when going close in Becher at Aintree 23 days ago. Effectively running off 4 lb higher here but still of interest.

Form: PPP-362

Potters Corner^p¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 132| CD

14/1

Won the Midlands and Welsh Nationals in 2019. Not so productive since but back to form with a close second in a cross-country event at Cheltenham 17 days ago. 8 lb out of the handicap.

Form: PP-76P2

Forecasts

Secret Reprieve (6/1), Iwilldoit (13/2), Deise Aba (8/1), Hold That Taught (17/2), Highland Hunter (11/1), The Big Dog (11/1), Potters Corner (14/1), Achille (16/1), Native River (16/1), Mighty Thunder (18/1), Discordantly (18/1), Hill Sixteen (20/1), Ramses De Teillee (20/1), Truckers Lodge (28/1), Captain Drake (28/1), Eva's Oskar (28/1), Elegant Escape (28/1), Kimberlite Candy (33/1), Mac Tottie (40/1), Colorado Doc (50/1)

Four previous winners line-up. SECRET REPRIEVE is the most recent and he took last season's renewal in the style of one has more to offer so he's fancied to make light of his absence since and become the first back-to-back winner since Bonanza Boy in 1988-89. Deise Aba looks well-in off the same mark as when edged out by Highland Hunter at Sandown so he's feared most. Iwilldoit is next best.