Coral Welsh National |
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| Handicap Chase, Chepstow 14:50 £150,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 6f 130y, Class 1  |
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This is once again shaping up as a proper midwinter test, with a typically deep and varied entry list pointing towards a searching examination of stamina, resilience and jumping under pressure.
As ever with this race, much will hinge on the ground and the final make-up of the field, but several familiar names and emerging contenders are already prominent in the build-up, suggesting another compelling renewal of one of Britain’s great staying handicaps.
Haiti Couleurs sits near the head of the class and is likely to be a central figure. Rebecca Curtis’s charge brings a touch of class to the race and, while his Betfair Chase effort did not go to plan, connections remain positive about his wellbeing. He looks set to shoulder a big weight, but that has not deterred his team and his quality could yet prove decisive if he handles the demanding conditions.
Irish raider Intense Raffles is another high-profile entry and, on ratings at least, sets the standard among the potential runners. His presence adds further intrigue to the race, particularly if the ground becomes properly testing, and he represents the sort of proven stamina that often comes to the fore at Chepstow.
Jubilee Express has already advertised his wellbeing by landing the Welsh National Trial at Chepstow earlier this month, a performance that naturally brings him firmly back into the reckoning.
Not for passing!
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 6, 2025
Jubilee Express leads his rivals all the way in the Welsh Grand National Trial, gamely repelling Collectors Item in the closing stages for the in-form @SammyTRacing team...@Chepstow_Racing | @williams_lorcan pic.twitter.com/Sw7uayQ4mY
Nassalam, the emphatic 2023 winner, is another whose name commands respect. His affinity for Chepstow and proven effectiveness in deep ground mean he cannot be overlooked if conditions turn suitably attritional, even if he has not always found things fall his way since that success.
Among the progressive types, Mr Vango has been flagged as an improving stayer who could use this race as his seasonal return. He fits the traditional Welsh National profile and would be an interesting contender should he take his chance.
The mix of proven course specialists, last year’s protagonists and unexposed stayers suggests the Coral Welsh National is once again poised to deliver a gruelling, memorable contest that will reward stamina and courage in equal measure.
Coral Welsh Grand National
(A Handicap Chase) (Grade 3)
£150,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 6f 130y, Class 1
19 runners
Going: Good to Soft
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 02P-38 Intense Raffles 7 12-0 Thomas Gibney Bryony Frost
2 311-1P Haiti Couleurs 8 11-13 Rebecca Curtis Sean Bowen
3 /111-2 Mr Vango 9 11-11 Mrs Sara V Bradstock Jack Tudor
4 /PP-PP Nassalam 8 11-4 Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn
5 41P6-P Monbeg Genius 9 11-3 Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr
6 225-01 Rock My Way 7 10-13 Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell
7 112-5P Tanganyika 7 10-13 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
8 3159-1 Uncle Bert 8 10-9 4ex Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
9 112-31 O'Connell 9 10-9 4ex Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith Danny McMenamin
10 21P8-2 Collectors Item 8 10-8 Jonjo & A J O'Neill Kevin Brogan
11 /030-3 Git Maker 9 10-6 Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan
12 4215-2 Deafening Silence 8 10-5 Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell
13 /26-01 Jubilee Express 8 10-3 4ex Sam Thomas Kielan Woods
14 P0FP-P Where It All Began 9 10-2 Gordon Elliott Conor O'Farrell
15 16P3-1 Livin On Luco 7 10-2 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Callum Pritchard
16 28P-31 Dom Of Mary 9 10-2 James Owen Richie McLernon
17 -14812 Hung Jury 10 10-2 Martin Keighley Tom Bellamy
18 027277 Beaufort Scale 6 10-2 Gordon Elliott Paddy Hanlon
19 6PP-46 Pats Fancy 10 10-2 Rebecca Curtis Jamie Brace
