The overall standard of entries for the 2019 running of the Coral Welsh Grand National has seldom been higher with the three most recent winners amongst a total of 61 entries remaining in the race, which will take place on Friday 27 December at Chepstow Racecourse.
Colin Tizzard’s 2016 winner NATIVE RIVER, the subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, 2017 winner RAZ DE MAREE, at 13 the oldest horse to win the Coral Welsh Grand National; and 2018’s victor ELEGANT ESCAPE all remain in the entries for what is one of the highlights of the Christmas racing calendar.
Heading up the Welsh trainer contenders are Rebecca Curtis’ JOE FARRELL and POTTERS CORNER, trained by Christian Williams, winners of the Scottish and Midlands Grand Nationals respectively
BALLYOPTIC, beaten a nose by Joe Farrell at Ayr, beat Elegant Escape in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby earlier this month, and comes from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard that loves collecting Nationals.
Paul Nicholls has four entries, including YALA ENKI, a five-length third in last year’s Coral Welsh Grand National, when carrying three pounds more than the winner; GIVE ME A COPPER, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, recent winner of the Badger Beer Trophy at Wincanton; and the novice TRUCKERS LODGE, who won a beginners’ chase at Chepstow in October but is a confirmed stayer and has been installed as 10/1 favourite with sponsors Coral.
Eight runners are trained in Wales, with its leading trainer Evan Williams supplying three of them.
There are four Irish entries, plus a rare raider from Scotland, Nick Alexander’s LAKE VIEW LAD. He is one of three horses who could line up in the colours of Trevor Hemmings, who has collected three Aintree Grand Nationals to date.
Philip Hobbs’ ROCK THE KASBAH is a real Chepstow specialist, having won at the course three times, and he also finished runner-up in the 2018 Bet365 Gold Cup.
Speaking on behalf of the sponsor Coral, David Stevens commented, “We’re delighted with a typically classy set of entries for the latest renewal of the Coral Welsh Grand National – one of the longest running sponsorships in sport – with previous winners Native River and Elegant Escape both prominent in the betting for trainer Colin Tizzard, while his great rival Paul Nicholls also has a strong hand, spearheaded by ante-post favourite Truckers Lodge, and Give Me A Copper, co-owned by a man who’s no stranger to sporting success, Sir Alex Ferguson”
Run over almost three- and three-quarter miles, it is sure to be one of the truest, classiest stamina tests of the season. For more information, or to by tickets, please visit www.chepstow-racecourse.co.uk.
Coral Welsh Grand National – Sponsor’s Betting
10 Truckers Lodge
12 Native River
14 Elegant Escape, Give Me A Copper, Now McGinty, Yala Enki
16 Ballyoptic, Kilfilum Cross, Impulsive Star, Mister Malarky, Steely Addition, West Approach
20 Burtons Well, Captain Cattistock, Daklondike, Lil Rockerfeller, Joe Farrell, Mister Whitaker, Robinsfirth, Rock
ENTRIES FOR THE CORAL WELSH GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE at CHEPSTOW, 27 December 2019 | |||
Animal | Age | Owner | Trainer |
Native River (IRE) | 9 | Brocade Racing | Colin Tizzard |
Elegant Escape (IRE) | 7 | Mr J. P. Romans | Colin Tizzard |
Ballyoptic (IRE) | 9 | Mills & Mason Partnership | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
Lake View Lad (IRE) | 9 | Mr Trevor Hemmings | N. W. Alexander |
Yala Enki (FR) | 9 | Hills of Ledbury (Aga) | Paul Nicholls |
Mister Whitaker (IRE) | 7 | Mr T. P. Radford | Mick Channon |
Robinsfirth (IRE) | 10 | Christine Knowles & Wendy Carter | Colin Tizzard |
Mala Beach (IRE) | 11 | Mr C. Jones | Gordon Elliott |
West Approach (GB) | 9 | John and Heather Snook | Colin Tizzard |
Mister Malarky (GB) | 6 | Wendy & Malcolm Hezel | Colin Tizzard |
Give Me A Copper (IRE) | 9 | Done, Ferguson, Mason, Nicholls & Wood | Paul Nicholls |
Rock The Kasbah (IRE) | 9 | Mrs Diana L. Whateley | Philip Hobbs |
Steely Addition (IRE) | 7 | Step By Step | Philip Hobbs |
Daklondike (IRE) | 7 | Prof. Caroline Tisdall | David Pipe |
Now McGinty (IRE) | 8 | The Garratt Family | Stuart Edmunds |
Keeper Hill (IRE) | 8 | McNeill Family | Warren Greatrex |
Vintage Clouds (IRE) | 9 | Mr Trevor Hemmings | Sue Smith |
Potters Corner (IRE) | 9 | All Stars Sports Racing & J Davies | Christian Williams |
Crievehill (IRE) | 7 | Highclere T'Bred Racing- Crievehill | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
Lil Rockerfeller (USA) | 8 | Davies Smith Govier & Brown | Neil King |
Joe Farrell (IRE) | 10 | M Sherwood, N Morris & J Turner | Rebecca Curtis |
Kilfilum Cross (IRE) | 8 | Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons | Henry Oliver |
The Two Amigos (GB) | 7 | Bradley Partnership | Nicky Martin |
Ami Desbois (FR) | 9 | The Reserved Judgment Partnership | Graeme McPherson |
Truckers Lodge (IRE) | 7 | Gordon & Su Hall | Paul Nicholls |
Captain Cattistock (GB) | 6 | Exors of the Late Mr P. L. Hart | Paul Nicholls |
Blow By Blow (IRE) | 8 | The Strattonites | Stef Keniry |
Pobbles Bay (IRE) | 9 | Mr David M. Williams | Evan Williams |
Impulsive Star (IRE) | 9 | Robert Waley-Cohen & Men Holding | Neil Mulholland |
Burtons Well (IRE) | 10 | Mr Trevor Hemmings | Venetia Williams |
Pop Rockstar (IRE) | 7 | Mrs Laura Day | Jonjo O'Neill |
Big River (IRE) | 9 | Two Black Labs | Lucinda Russell |
Space Cadet (IRE) | 9 | Mr C. Jones | Gearoid O'Loughlin |
Coningsby (GB) | 6 | Lady Cobham | Tom Lacey |
Prime Venture (IRE) | 8 | Mrs Janet Davies | Evan Williams |
Virginia Chick (FR) | 7 | Mrs C. Williams | Evan Williams |
Raz de Maree (FR) | 14 | James J. Swan | Gavin Cromwell |
Graceful Legend (GB) | 8 | Mrs A. Allen | Ben Case |
Arthur's Gift (IRE) | 8 | Arthur's Gift Partnership | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
Commodore (FR) | 7 | Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham | Venetia Williams |
Wild West Wind (IRE) | 10 | Mr Simon W. Clarke | Tom George |
Milansbar (IRE) | 12 | Mr Robert Bothway | Neil King |
Field Exhibition (IRE) | 9 | Mr C. Johnston | Grace Harris |
Bennys King (IRE) | 8 | Mezzone Family | Dan Skelton |
Potters Legend (GB) | 9 | Mrs J. May | Lucy Wadham |
The Kings Writ (IRE) | 8 | Mr D Stevens & Mrs S Stevens | Kayley Woollacott |
Polydora (IRE) | 7 | P. J. H. Wills & J. J. King | Tom Lacey |
Midnight Tune (GB) | 8 | The Park Homes Syndicate | Anthony Honeyball |
Captain Chaos (IRE) | 8 | Mike and Eileen Newbould | Dan Skelton |
Bobo Mac (IRE) | 8 | C & M Baker, K Ibberson, H Pearman | Tom Symonds |
The Welsh Paddies (IRE) | 7 | West Coast Haulage Limited | Kerry Lee |
Get On The Yager (GB) | 9 | Dick and Mandy Higgins | Dan Skelton |
Rathlin Rose (IRE) | 11 | Mr Fergus Wilson | David Pipe |
Looks Like Power (IRE) | 9 | Mr C. A. Hanbury | Debra Hamer |
Joueur Bresilien (FR) | 7 | Inthewayboy Group | Rebecca Curtis |
La Cavsa Nostra (IRE) | 7 | Mr Robert Waley-Cohen | Neil Mulholland |
Johanos (FR) | 8 | Mark Phillips, Mrs Pumphrey and Partners | Nigel Hawke |
Weststreet (IRE) | 9 | Weststreet Partnership | Oliver Sherwood |
Kings Monarch (GB) | 6 | Miss Kerry Lee | Kerry Lee |
Goodtoknow (GB) | 11 | MacEchern and Nolan | Kerry Lee |
Cloudy Morning (IRE) | 11 | Mr M. T. O'Donovan | Declan Queally |