A Welsh Beacon for Grand National Glory—Kitty’s Light Remains in Top Form

The Grand National is one of the jewels of horse racing, and a great Welsh hope, Kitty’s Light, had the eyes of over half a billion people worldwide watching him tackle the peaks and troughs of the National this year.

While it wasn’t to be for the horse trained by Christian Williams—a fifth-place showing is strong, it’s fantastic form to finish in the mix at the Grand National. Kitty’s Light has continued this form after the Grand National—and if he can keep this up, some may even fancy him to go one better at next year’s National and be in with a shot of victory.

Grand National 2024

There were a few pundits who gave Kitty’s Light an outside chance going into the race, especially with the formidable form of I Am Maximus. Over the last two or three decades, rarely has a horse gone into the National as a favourite and dominated, but I Am Maximus was the most popular pick. The late money piled in and brought the horse down to around 3/1 with some bookies, and it coasted to victory.

The Grand National is notoriously difficult to predict, and many of the horse racing betting guides that broke down the specifics of the race had I Am Maximus in a cluster of four or five horses that had the potential to win. If Kitty’s Light had beaten I Am Maximus, it would’ve been a serious upset, but the 12/1 horse finishing fifth was a commendable showing—and there wasn’t too much in it between the chasing pack.

While some race pundits and fans will argue until they are blue in the face that a horse needs to be a class horse to actually win the Grand National—just like I Am Maximus clearly is—Kitty’s Light has shown that he can mix with the best. By his trainer’s own admission, Kitty’s Light has a lengthy stride, fantastic head position, and keeps composed and level during the big races—all of which are the attributes you want from a horse running the world’s most famous steeplechase.

Williams has always maintained that the horse was underrated, but it’s fair to say that the genie is out of the bottle after such a strong showing in April. Many punters and horse racing fans are now under no illusions about the horse’s quality.

Kicking On From The National

Kitty’s form before the National left many punters wondering whether he was simply in a rich vein of form or was pushing his standards to new highs. However, one thing most horse racing enthusiasts agree with is that last year was a landmark year for the horse, culminating in new highs and a double—the Scottish National and the Gold Cup at Sandown just seven days later.

As with many sports, plenty of people enter the conversation after the fact, claiming they knew the horse had quality all along and that they predicted these wins from a mile off. The truth is, prior to the Scottish National, nobody gave Kitty’s Light much of a chance, but following a blockbuster 12 months, it would have been one of the biggest sports news stories of the year if he’d managed to pip the favourite past the post at the National.

However, irrespective of that, plenty of people now think he’s in with a chance of truly putting Welsh horse racing on the map. Although Kitty’s Light has only had one outing since the National, the continued, sustained form over the last year or so has proven that when he’s in his top form, he’s one of the top Welsh horses and certainly has another one or two landmark performances to come before retirement.

Final Thoughts

Few horses can keep their form ongoing for consecutive seasons. Still, Kitty’s Light has strung together so many consistent, high-level performances that Christian Williams is beginning to feel vindicated for his initial hunch that the horse had something exceptional about it.

Now that he’s become familiar with the big Liverpool race and has been able to hold his own against some of the top thoroughbreds in the business, next year could see a renewed push for Kitty’s Light to go that final yard and bring Grand National glory back to Welsh shores. While it will undeniably be a tough ask, the 12/1 shot wouldn’t have been the longest odds we’ve seen win the National—and if Williams can keep Kitty’s Light in top form, next year he could go one step further.