Coral Welsh Grand National Day, Thursday 27th December 2018

Good morning all,

Tom here, live from the press room at Chepstow Racecourse on what promises to be an excellent day's racing here in South Wales.

We shall be trying a few new things today if possible on here, having never quite had laptop access at any of the other meetings we have had, so have never been able to update this from the course, as it doesn't allow iPads to update the website. Odd really.

Aside from the main event, the namesake Coral Welsh Grand National, there is a superb looking Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle, in which the favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at The Festival in March, Adjali, is the short priced favourite for the race, from his rival in France and Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle scorer Quel Destin. The latter was second at this course to Montestrel back in October, but comfortably and comprehensively turned the tables on him a month later at Cheltenham, gaining revenge on him for collaring him late on at Piercefield Park.

The Coral Welsh Grand National is on at 2:50, and as I type this the current favourite is Elegant Escape at 4/1, attempting to build on a gallant second to stablemate Sizing Tennessee in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury at the beginning of the month. In a typically competitive renewal, many look to have either a chance or questions about them, namely Vyta Du Roc, who won very stylishly at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, even when losing a shoe, but failed to fire on his reappearance in the Anne, Duchess Of Westminster Handicap Chase at Bangor-On-Dee 43 days ago.

Add to these a stellar undercard of competitive races, including an exciting horse in Ask For Glory, a winning Irish Pointer who makes his debut for Paul Nicholls after being snapped up for £280,000 in the concluding bumper, and there is very good reason to believe that today could be a real highlight in the season for not just us, but the plethora of racing fans and punters alike.

Let the show commence!