14:50 Chepstow

Wednesday 27 December 2023

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1014:5015:2515:55

Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Run In Memory Of Kim Gingell) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 8m 47.39s

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Selected odds by:

Iwilldoit⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁷⁾| T: S Thomas| OR: 153| CD

15/2

Won this in 2021 and defied an absence of 13 months when following up in the Classic Chase at Warwick last winter. Solid reappearance second over hurdles at Aintree last month and this has presumably been the target. Player.

Form: 311/15-2

Complete Unknown²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 152| BF

10/1

Useful hurdler and quickly developed into a smart chaser, finishing second in 3m Aintree Grade 1 final start. Won over 2½m on Newton Abbot reappearance but faded out of the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury since. Not sure he wants an extreme stamina test such as this.

Form: 1212-10

The Big Breakaway^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: J Tizzard| OR: 147| BF| C

20/1

Runner-up in this off 1 lb higher last year but has completed on only one of his 4 outings since, running no sort of race in the Becher at Aintree latest. Hard to be confident about at present.

Form: 22PF-5P

The Galloping Bear^t,v1²⁸⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Ben Clarke| OR: 145WS

20/1

Useful staying chaser. Might have hit the frame but for falling 4 out in this last year. Good second in Eider Chase at Newcastle next time. Has had wind surgery ahead of this reappearance. This a tough ask first time up. First-time visor replaces cheekpieces.

Form: 1D/3F2P-

Nassalam^b¹⁸^{(ex 4)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 141| C

9/2

Reacted very positively to refitted blinkers when an emphatic winner of the trial over 3m here 18 days ago, beating Wayfinder by 5½ lengths but value for more like double the margin. Stamina is an unknown over 6f further but he's weighted to have a big say under a 4 lb penalty.

Form: 6307-41

Chambard¹⁸^{(ex 4)}

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss Lucy Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 140

12/1

Ended 2021/22 campaign with success in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. Disappointed last season but firmly back on track this time round, winning Becher at Aintree (heavy) 18 days ago. Might be vulnerable under a 4 lb penalty here, though.

Form: PU44-21

Iron Bridge²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 142

8/1

Bumper/dual hurdle winner who took well to chasing last season, winning twice. Ran no sort of race on his 2½m Newbury reappearance but this return to 3m+ will suit and he remains unexposed as a stayer.

Form: 15122-P

Truckers Lodge^b¹⁸^{(ex 4)}

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137| C

12/1

This veteran is running in this for the fifth time (placed on 3 occasions) and showed he retains most of his ability when winning the London National at Sandown 18 days ago. Likely to be plugging on when others have cried enough.

Form: 4581-B1

Only The Bold^p,t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 135

40/1

Fairly useful hurdles winner for Evan Williams and proved a different proposition over fences in headgear for present connections last term, scoring at Bangor and Hereford. Has disappointed in 2 outings back hurdling this season, though.

Form: 2/114-8P

Autonomous Cloud³¹^{(ex 4)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 130

9/2

Progressive young chaser who edged out Iron Bridge (Super Survivor third) in strong 3m Uttoxeter novice handicap on final start last season. Reappeared to win another 3m Uttoxeter handicap (heavy) a month ago and very much unexposed after only a handful of starts over fences.

Form: 2/2221-1

Super Survivor³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 130| BF| C

11/2

Dual hurdles winner with a positive profile over fences, winning 3m novice handicap on this card a year ago. Shaped well when second to stablemate Git Maker on 3m Lingfield return. Low-mileage improver for a trainer/jockey pairing which has already plundered one big handicap chase this winter.

Form: 21/213-2

Amateur^p¹⁷⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: C Brace| T: J L Flint| OR: 126| C

50/1

Added to his good Ffos Las record with a win in May but off since a lesser run in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter in July. Likely up against it in a race as competitive as this back from 6 months off.

Form: P6P3-10

Charlie Uberalles⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 126

40/1

Dual 3m chase winner in the first half of last season but not seen again until third in a 22.5f Kelso novice hurdle in November. Remains unexposed as a chaser but this will be a very different test to anything he's faced previously.

Form: 21441-3

Wayfinder^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Lily Pinchin| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 125| C

20/1

Back on track this season after wind surgery, chasing home Nassalam in the trial here (3m, heavy) 18 days ago. Pulled up in this 12 months ago but can fare better this time round.

Form: P4P-3F2

Blade Runner^p³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Freddie Gordon⁽⁵⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 124| C

22/1

Prolific over fences, making it 5 wins from only 6 starts in this sphere at Plumpton in November. Ran poorly over hurdles at Ascot since but better can be expected back over the larger obstacles.

Form: 13-311P

Max Dynamo^h,t³⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 10-2| J: James Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs E Bishop| OR: 120| C

40/1

Veteran who made light of a 10-month absence to win here in February and added to his good record fresh when second in the Southern National at Fontwell on his reappearance last month. 7 lb out of weights here, though.

Form: 3P/160-2

Domaine De L'Isle^b,t¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: S Curran| OR: 119| CD

80/1

Tumbled down the weights and finally took advantage when landing small-field marathon over C&D in March. That wasn't a particularly strong race, though, and he's pulled up both starts this season.

Form: 6814-PP

Didero Vallis¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 115

33/1

Useful chaser at his best. Disappointed last season but has posted 2 decent efforts in cross-country events at Cheltenham this time round. Long way out of the handicap here, however.

Form: 55PP-39

Not Sure^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 115

28/1

Building up a solid record over fences, winning on 3m Wetherby reappearance and third of 10 at Sandown (3m, heavy) since. 12 lb out of the handicap in this, though.

Form: 1313-13

Non-Runners

Iceo Madrik²⁶

Weight: 10-5| Age: 5

T: D Pipe J: David Noonan

Forecasts

Nassalam (9/2), Autonomous Cloud (9/2), Super Survivor (11/2), Iwilldoit (15/2), Iron Bridge (8/1), Complete Unknown (10/1), Chambard (12/1), Truckers Lodge (12/1), Wayfinder (20/1), The Big Breakaway (20/1), The Galloping Bear (20/1), Blade Runner (22/1), Not Sure (28/1), Didero Vallis (33/1), Charlie Uberalles (40/1), Only The Bold (40/1), Max Dynamo (40/1), Amateur (50/1), Iceo Madrik (66/1), Domaine De L'Isle (80/1)

A chance is taken on NASSALAM's stamina as he won the trial here earlier in the month with plenty in hand and looks well treated under a 4lb penalty. 2021 winner Iwilldoit looked as good as ever when second over hurdles at Aintree on his reappearance and this has presumably been the plan. Autonomous Cloud and Super Survivor are young staying chasers who likely have bigger performances in them and complete the shortlist.