Chepstow Friday

Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

THE Coral Welsh Grand National is one of the biggest betting events of the winter season, and produced an absolute cracker on Friday when the gambled-on 8/1 shot Potters Corner triumphed for popular trainer Christian Williams and teenage riding sensation Jack Tudor, who is tremendous value for his 7lb claim.

He always had the winner in a good position in a race lengthened by a furlong and with an extra fence to jump compared to recent runnings. Truckers Lodge (Paul Nicholls/Lorcan Williams), Yala Enki (Paul Nicholls/Bryony Frost) and Prime Venture (Evan Williams/Adam Wedge) chased the winner home.

The winner was matching Synchronised in winning this race after the Midlands National at Uttoxeter in the spring, and had been confined to hurdles previously this season to protect his handicap mark with this race in mind.

Stayer

Unlike Synchronised, and several other winners of this race, he doesn’t appeal as making up into a Gold Cup horse, but is a thorough stayer who revels in the mud, and will find similar races to this in the future.

Yala Enki merits a mention for being the only one of the placed horses to carry much more than 10 stone, and he was raised to a mark of 157 as a result of his plucky placed effort.

All one way for bold Allmankind

Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

THE Grade 1 Finale Hurdle has gone to the likes of Bristol De Mai and Defi Du Seuil in recent seasons, and was again won in clear-cut fashion by Allmankind (Dan/Harry Skelton) as he beat Joseph O’Brien’s raider Cerberus (Robbie Power) by nine lengths having never been headed.

This was his third win from the front in as many starts over hurdles, and he’s surprised his trainer with his enthusiasm for jumping hurdles.

Headstrong

Allmankind may well take in the Grade Spring Juvenile at Leopardstown next month according to his trainer, and could give the locals plenty to think about. The negative for the winner is that he is a headstrong sort and his trainer admits that it is impossible to attempt different tactics at this stage given his nature, and he looks vulnerable in the best races given that one-dimensional aspect of his character.