THE fact that the course executive at Chepstow has no intention of moving the date of the Coral Welsh Grand National permanently from the day after Boxing Day to the first Saturday in the New Year is a shame, if understandable in terms of racecourse attendances, for this year’s postponed running brightened an otherwise somewhat drab jumps weekend.

The 10-day delay did not lead to a decline in competitiveness – 20 again faced the starter – though this year’s race was not quite of the standard of those won by Synchronised in 2010 or Native River in 2016.