14:50 Chepstow 27 Dec 2021
Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase
Grade 3 | GBB Race | Class 1 | 4YO plus
Winner £85,425 - 20 ran
mid-division, good headway 15th to chase leaders, led 17th, pressed and pushed along before 3 out, soon went clear with one other, stayed on well, won going away on run-in
handy, pushed along and went 2nd before 5 out, clear with winner from 3 out, ridden and every chance before 2 out, kept on, tired on run-in
prominent, pushed along before 5 out, pressed leader 5 out, ridden before 4 out, bad mistake 4 out, kept on one pace
in rear, headway into 5th before 13th, pushed along before 5 out, ridden and no impression from 4 out, kept on one pace
towards rear, effort and headway to chase leaders after 18th, ridden after 4 out, soon weakened and plugged on
chased leaders, slow jump 6th, lost place and ridden after 12th, pulled up after 16th
2 front mid-division, lost place and pushed along before 5 out, pulled up before 4 out
towards rear, hit 4th, ridden 7th, struggling and pulled up after 12th
rear mid-division, slow jump 2nd, bad mistake 14th, soon ridden in rear, pulled up before 5 out
mid-division, bad mistake 9th, soon pulled up
led, headed 17th, remained close up, ridden before 5 out, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
front mid-division, lost place and pulled up before 16th
towards rear, ridden after 18th, beaten when pulled up before 5 out
mid-division, prominent 18th, not fluent 5 out, soon beaten and pulled up before 2 out
front mid-division, lost place 17th, ridden and weakened 5 out, pulled up home straight
in rear, slow jump 5th, ridden 13th, pulled up before 5 out
mid-division, hit 6th, ridden and struggling 16th, soon pulled up
rear mid-division, pulled up after 16th, never involved
chased leaders, weakening when hit 18th, well behind when pulled up before 5 out
Betting returns
| Type | Winnings |
|---|---|
| Betfair SP | £10.00 |
| CSF | £67.28 (16, 6) |
| Tricast | £1,911.65 (16, 6, 4) |
| Win | £7.50 (16) |
| Place | £2.00 (16), £2.70 (6), £6.10 (4), £4.10 (10) |
| Swinger | £34.70 (4, 6), £39.60 (4, 16), £16.90 (6, 16) |
| Exacta | £109.50 (16, 6) |
| Trifecta | £3,292.90 (16, 6, 4) |
Expert Analysis
As usual, a tremendous contest for staying chasers, featuring four of the last five winners, but it was a lightly weighted up-and-comer who prevailed in a gruelling contest even for this, the finishing speed slower than par at 97.4%, the beaten horses slower than that again and the majority pulled up. There was a very shoddy start after a couple of false ones, several hampered in the process.
IWILLDOIT (c147+ here, 145 previously) was another fine advert for his promising young trainer, a horse who has taken off of late and who rewarded good support to win from out of the handicap, hampered at the start but working into it gradually, leading in the back straight and responding most generously for pressure.
HIGHLAND HUNTER (c149 here and previously) had gone up only 4 lb for his Sandown win and ran well, giving best only to one who was a blot on the handicap, close up most of the way, going clear with the winner from 3 out and done with only after jumping the last.
TRUCKERS LODGE (c145 here, 151 previously), second in this in 2019, ran creditably in first-time blinkers, in trouble when making a mistake 4 out then keeping on.
ACHILLE (c136 here, 142 previously) could yet get back to his very best, second in a trio of strong staying handicaps last winter, hampered at the start here but getting back into it gradually and just a length or 2 down on the turn before fading.
SECRET REPRIEVE (c114+ here, 142 previously), who won this 12 months earlier in good style, ran a lot better than the result on his first start since, improving from the rear to dispute the places briefly early in the home straight then weakening.
Video Highlights
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Replay: 14:50 Chepstow 27th Dec 2021
