The Coral Welsh Grand National is the main betting race on a tremendous day of national hunt action on Monday in both Britain and Ireland. We will provide a Horse Racing tip, preview and prediction for Chepstow’s test of stamina run over an extended 3m 6f at 2.50pm.
Small but select fields are the order of the day in Kempton’s pair of Grade 2 contests at 1.20pm and 2.30pm. However, the 3m handicap chase at 3.10pm has produced a much more competitive turnout and we will supply a Horse Racing tip for this 11-runner affair together with Wetherby’s popular William Hill Castleford Handicap Chase at 2.15pm.
Tip of the Day – Cap Du Nord – 3.10pm Kempton @ 4/1 with bet365
Runner-up behind the high-class Royal Pagaille in this race 12 months ago, the Christian Williams-trained Cap Du Nord looks handicapped to go one better in this valuable 3m handicap chase.
Katpoli – 2.15pm Wetherby (Next Best)
A disappointing turnout of only six runners for this famous 1m 7f handicap chase, won in the past by some tremendous two mile chasers and 12 months ago by subsequent Grade 1 winner First Flow. While there is nothing of that calibre in this season’s renewal, bottom weight Katpoli makes plenty of appeal at a double-figure price off just 10st 1lb.
The Dr Richard Newland-trained six-year-old is still unexposed over fences and off a 1lb higher mark won comfortably over today’s course and distance almost two years ago when beating favourite Hawk High by almost three lengths.
The last time the mount of Charlie Hammond was seen on a racecourse was when unseating his rider early-on in a valuable contest at Cheltenham last October, a race won by the classy Rouge Vif.
The son of Poliglote underwent a wind op earlier this month and despite a break of some 14 months the gelding is sure to be well forward for his reappearance. In receipt of weight from all of his rivals, the best of which may be last month’s course and distance winner Fransham, Katpoli is fancied to outrun his odds.
Discordantly – 2.50pm Chepstow (Longshot)
In a stable tour dating back two months, Irish trainer Jessica Harrington nominated the Welsh Grand National as the main aim this season for her seven-year-old chaser, Discordantly.
Harrington described the son of Salutino as “an absolutely brilliant jumper at home” and “was just very unlucky last year – he jumped into the back of horses and every sort of thing.”
The booking of in-form jockey Gavin Sheehan has to be a plus and following a respectable reappearance when sixth in the Troytown at Navan last month, the presence of top weight Native River means that the gelding gets into the race nicely on the minimum weight of 10st, unlike several fancied contenders such as Iwilldoit and Hold That Taught who will be racing from out of the handicap.
The former still has to be feared, such was the ease of his recent course victory. While the potentially well-handicapped pair of previous winners Elegant Escape and Secret Reprieve are just another couple of potential dangers along with The Big Dog, Highland Hunter and Scottish National winner Mighty Thunder.
Granted a bit of luck in running however, Discordantly has several pieces of form which entitle him to go close in this marathon contest for a stable that has been doing well over both codes this year.
Cap Du Nord – 3.10pm Kempton (NAP)
With form figures reading P5-504 the Christain Williams-trained Cap Du Nord, on first impressions, hardly looks like nap material on a fascinating day of national hunt action in Britain and Ireland. A closer inspection of the eight-year-old’s credentials however puts the son of Voix Du Nord in with an outstanding chance of taking this valuable 3m handicap chase.
Runner-up in this race 12 months ago off the same mark of 133 (beaten just over three lengths), the mount of 7lb claimer Ellis Collier faced an impossible task in receipt of only 7lb from the winner and subsequent Gold Cup sixth Royale Pagaille.
Following that run Cap Du Nord went on to finish a creditable fifth in both the Close Brothers Handicap Chase at Kempton and bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. The selection stayed on to finish fourth in the Badger Beer at Wincanton on his most recent start and a repeat of last year’s effort should be more than good enough to go one better on this occasion.
Top weight Kitty’s Light looks in the grip of the handicapper now but if returning to anything like his best since joining trainer Paul Nicholls from Willie Mullins in Ireland, Real Steel could prove the main danger to Cap Du Nord.
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