Potters moulds history with Welsh National success

There was a roar as fiery as the enigmatic dragon the nation of Wales has as it’s emblem, and that was from the team of Welsh trainer Christian Williams as Potters Corner took the Coral Welsh Grand National under 17 year old Welsh jockey Jack Tudor to make it a historic day for Wales.

Sent off at 8/1, the gelding made it a double of Nationals to his name, having taken the Midlands equivalent in March at Uttoxeter, and was rallied home by his jockey and the thousands at the course to make it a day to remember for the natives.

At the first fence it was Bryony Frost and last year’s third Yala Enki who were disputing the lead with the eventual winner and The Two Amigos, who raced prominently on the inside. Last year’s winner Elegant Escape was tucked away in mid division, a cluster of horses around him. The field sailed over the first and went across the line with two complete circuits of Piercefield Park ahead of them, with Space Cadet the only horse to make a blunder at the opening fence.

The pace was a steady, sensible one, the leading trio opening up down the back by three lengths on the rest of the field, who were stacking and packing behind them. Matt Griffiths changed a set of goggles aboard The Two Amigos as they went to the ditch, though his silks looked far cleaner than the majority behind him. Captain Chaos was pulled wide by Harry Skelton in search of finer ground as Matt took his mount to the lead as the field went out on their last circuit.

A few scrappy jumps began to creep in over the 14th and 15th, with Looks Like Power and Space Cadet starting to struggle. Swinging in after the bend, Potters Corner came up alongside the leader at 5 out. Truckers Lodge, Prime Venture and the reigning champion Elegant Escape came out of the pack to chase after the leaders, and it became clear that the winner would be out of this lot as the stamina sapping conditions began to take their toll on the rest of the field.

Potters Corner took 2 out in the lead, with Truckers Lodge becoming his main adversary as The Two Amigos and Yala Enki began to feel the pinch with Prime Venture and Elegant Escape, his crown slipping from his grasp. Potters Corner flew the last and set off by 3 lengths away from it, and under a heavy drive from Jack Tudor lasted home in the conditions to win by 2 lengths to Truckers Lodge, Yala Enki and Prime Venture, who were 6 lengths clear ahead of The Two Amigos and Elegant Escape.

There were scenes of utter jubilation upon their return to the winners enclosure, the owners looking as though they had won the Six Nations themselves, let alone the race. It can be safe to say that the bars and local pubs around Bridgend and further afar will be running dry by the morning, as it seems the entire nation will be celebrating the success of the brave horse, who has made history for the nation.