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The 2025 Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase

If it's held this year, the Chepstow Welsh Grand National Trial Chase Handicap is actually a decent pointer for the Welsh Grand National Trial itself.
Unlike the Haydock Grand National Trial Chase Handicap, of the 83 runners of which heading to the following Aintree only 2 have won.

I think the 30 'Nationals' I count across UK and IRE and 3 called trials is possibly a bit much.

Aintree Grand National Chase Handicap
Ascot Berkshire National National Chase Handicap
Ayr Scottish Grand National Chase Handicap
Ballinrobe Mayo National Chase Handicap
Bangor North Wales National Chase Handicap
Catterick North Yorkshire Grand National Chase Handicap
Chepstow Welsh Grand National Chase Handicap
Cork Grand National Chase Handicap
Downpatrick Ulster National Chase Handicap
Exeter Devon National Chase Handicap
Fairyhouse Irish Grand National Chase Handicap
Fakenham Norfolk National Chase Handicap
Ffos Las West Wales National Chase Handicap
Fontwell Southern National Chase Handicap
Kelso Scottish Borders National Chase Handicap
Kilbeggan Midlands National Chase Handicap
Killarney National Chase Handicap
Limerick Munster National Chase Handicap
Lingfield Surrey National Chase Handicap
Listowel Guinness Kerry National Chase Handicap
Market Rasen Lincolnshire National Chase Handicap
Musselburgh Edinburgh National Chase Handicap
Naas Leinster National Chase Handicap
Perth Highland National Chase Handicap
Plumpton Sussex National Chase Handicap
Roscommon Connacht National Chase Handicap
Sandown London National Chase Handicap
Sedgefield Durham National Chase Handicap
Uttoxeter Midlands Grand National Chase Handicap
Wincanton Somerset National Chase Handicap


Chepstow Welsh Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
Haydock Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
Punchestown Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
 
I preferred the previous term and now the rulebook for such things that were laid out fairly early ( first 3 letters plus folio) has been ripped up and we now basically have to move forward in some kind of anarchic chaos. Imo you should have stood strong skipper in the face of these insubordinates.
 
I preferred the previous term and now the rulebook for such things that were laid out fairly early ( first 3 letters plus folio) has been ripped up and we now basically have to move forward in some kind of anarchic chaos. Imo you should have stood strong skipper in the face of these insubordinates.
Well, it's actually meant to be the first syllable, not first three letters, and tbf, when I sat down and thought about it, "Welsh" is a one-syllable word?

But, generally speaking, I concur.

Jerry Seinfeld once said: "Never give the public what they clamour for. The public don't work in showbiz, so they have no idea what makes good showbiz!"
 
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If it's held this year, the Chepstow Welsh Grand National Trial Chase Handicap is actually a decent pointer for the Welsh Grand National Trial itself.
Unlike the Haydock Grand National Trial Chase Handicap, of the 83 runners of which heading to the following Aintree only 2 have won.

I think the 30 'Nationals' I count across UK and IRE and 3 called trials is possibly a bit much.

Aintree Grand National Chase Handicap
Ascot Berkshire National National Chase Handicap
Ayr Scottish Grand National Chase Handicap
Ballinrobe Mayo National Chase Handicap
Bangor North Wales National Chase Handicap
Catterick North Yorkshire Grand National Chase Handicap
Chepstow Welsh Grand National Chase Handicap
Cork Grand National Chase Handicap
Downpatrick Ulster National Chase Handicap
Exeter Devon National Chase Handicap
Fairyhouse Irish Grand National Chase Handicap
Fakenham Norfolk National Chase Handicap
Ffos Las West Wales National Chase Handicap
Fontwell Southern National Chase Handicap
Kelso Scottish Borders National Chase Handicap
Kilbeggan Midlands National Chase Handicap
Killarney National Chase Handicap
Limerick Munster National Chase Handicap
Lingfield Surrey National Chase Handicap
Listowel Guinness Kerry National Chase Handicap
Market Rasen Lincolnshire National Chase Handicap
Musselburgh Edinburgh National Chase Handicap
Naas Leinster National Chase Handicap
Perth Highland National Chase Handicap
Plumpton Sussex National Chase Handicap
Roscommon Connacht National Chase Handicap
Sandown London National Chase Handicap
Sedgefield Durham National Chase Handicap
Uttoxeter Midlands Grand National Chase Handicap
Wincanton Somerset National Chase Handicap


Chepstow Welsh Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
Haydock Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
Punchestown Grand National Trial Chase Handicap
Doh I meant "a decent pointer for the Welsh Grand National itself."

Some of them are strongly linked ie runners from the "Plumpton Sussex National Chase Handicap" heading to the "Wincanton Somerset National Chase Handicap"
 
There was a time when only the Aintree one was allowed to be called "Grand" - even the Irish version acknowledged the uniqueness of the original.

There are now more Nationals (Grand or otherwise) than you can shake a stick at.

Quite comical, really.
 
Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase
2.50 Chepstow, December 27

Key trends

Won over at least 3m, nine winners in last ten running's (exception placed in this race previously)
Top-three finish last time out, 9/10 (six won)
Carried no more than 11st 3lb, 8/10
Officially rated 127-145, 7/10
Aged six to nine, 7/10
No more than two runs since the start of September, 7/10
Course winner, 6/10
Other factors

Four winners had run in the race previously and all were placed at least.

Two winners had contested the Coral Gold Cup (formerly Hennessy) in which they finished 12. Both were trained by Colin Tizzard (Native River in 2016 and Elegant Escape in 2018). The last winner to have run in the race before them was Playschool in 1987.

Mountainous in the 2015 race became the first dual winner since Bonanza Boy (1988 and 1989).


How many times have we watched this race being run in a complete bog and with the weather being the way it is the course could get 3 or 4 inches of rain a day or two before the race so I will just add to this thread over the next two weeks before I have a bet.

Seven winners had no more than 12 chase runs, but the other three had between 17 and 25.
 
What they say


Jamie Snowden, trainer of Git Maker
Git Maker had a good season the year before last, including when second at the Cheltenham Festival, but wasn’t right at this time last year and when we did get him going the ground was too quick. He's in a better place now and enjoyed a nice prep run when third over hurdles at Lingfield the other day, when he took a blow at the second-last. He’s been in great form since and all roads lead to Chepstow.

Sara Bradstock, trainer of Mr Vango
It’s the plan to run him in the Becher Chase at Aintree on Saturday. It would need to be the soft side of good to soft, which is what they’ve got at Aintree at the moment. If, for some reason, we don’t think it suits him, there are plenty of other long-distance races for him.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Deafening Silence
He ran well on his comeback in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last week following which it was always the intention to aim him at the Welsh National.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Westerninthepark
The plan is to run him in the Becher Chase at Aintree this weekend rather than the Welsh National.

Gary Moore, trainer of Nassalam and Invincible Nao
Invincible Nao is running at Sandown on Saturday and we’ll see how he comes out of that before we decide whether to go to Chepstow, but he could well run. Nassalam seems to have lost his way, so we’ll have to see about him.

Martin Keighley, trainer of Hung Jury
He’s such a strong stayer that the Welsh National will suit him and the softer the better for him. He won well at Cheltenham last time and he takes his racing well, so he’ll run at either Sandown or Kelso this weekend as a prep for Chepstow.

Willy Twiston-Davies, joint trainer of Top Of The Bill and Uncle Bert
Top Of The Bill won well at Haydock the other day and goes well fresh and will head to Chepstow subject to discussions with his owner. Uncle Bert has entries this weekend and how he goes will determine if he also goes to Wales, but it’s on his radar.
 

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