The highlight of the Welsh racing calendar takes centre stage this week – but there could be plenty to celebrate before then.
The £170,000 Coral Welsh Grand National headlines the top-quality action taking place across the country on Saturday. Chepstow’s flagship event is again set to feature a high-class field with runners from the yards of Dan Skelton, Gordon Elliott, Paul Nicholls and Joe Tizzard poised to feature.
The home team also have a strong hand this year. Sam Thomas is set to saddle the ante-post favourite with Jubilee Express. The eight-year-old was second in the contest in 2024 and heads into the race on the back of success in the Welsh Grand National Trial at the start of the month.
Thomas is also expected to run the fancied and unexposed Shomen Uchi, who also carries the colours of owner Dai Walters.
Rebecca Curtis has not ruled out letting her stable star Haiti Couleurs take his chance.
Her Cheltenham Festival and Irish Grand National hero would be running for the first time since a below-par effort in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, after which he was found to be under the weather.
Thomas is entering the busy festive period in flying form. He enjoyed Grade 2 success at Ascot on Friday when Steel Ally jumped superbly to run out an easy winner of the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot. He looks one of the best British novices and could easily be handed some top-level spring targets.
And there was more Welsh success at the Berkshire track’s pre-Christmas meeting when Christian Williams took the £100,000 three-mile handicap chase with Deep Cave. Jack Tudor conjured a last-gasp run along the far rail to capture the prize from Leave of Absence, who was denied victory in the very last stride.
Deep Cave was winning his third race on the bounce, after registering successes at Aintree and Bangor. He is owned by Sue Howell, whose colours were carried to Scottish National glory by Win My Wings. Her and Williams look to have another potential star staying chaser on their hands.
Meanwhile, Lorcan Williams warmed up for Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace’s bid for more Grade 1 glory at Kempton on Boxing Day when striking on Came From Nowhere at Hereford. It continued the good run of trainer Jeremy Scott.
Unfortunately, we were denied the chance to end the year with a bang last week as prolonged heavy rain forced our Christmas Party Raceday to be abandoned, with the course waterlogged. Our next meeting at the track is on Friday, January 30
