Iwilldoit Will Lead The Home Team In The Welsh Grand National

For racing fans, the Welsh Grand National has become a Christmas tradition. Run at Chepstow racecourse, Wales’ biggest race is one of the most coveted races of the jump racing season, particularly for trainers plying their trade in the country.

Welsh trainers have a particularly good record in the early trial race for the Aintree equivalent later in the season, with three of the last four winners having been trained by trainers representing the home team. Sam Thomas trained Iwilldoit to win the race two years ago, and the same combo will be back again in 2023 to try to reclaim their crown.

Iwilldoit did it!! 😍😍😍 https://t.co/MaVOO0IpFy

— Stan Sheppard (@StanSheppard9) January 14, 2023

Can Iwilldoit Live Up To His Name Again?

Iwilldoit has lived up to his name on many occasions in his career to date, and his connections and those who like to bet on horses online will be hoping that he can do it once again at Chepstow. Sam Thomas’ 10-year-old has had just six starts over fences but he has won four of those, including the Welsh Grand National in 2021.

He was very impressive in winning easily on that occasion, and he remains very unexposed over the larger obstacles. He missed over a year of action after his Welsh National win but he proved his wellbeing when coming second over hurdles at Aintree last month.

Winning a Welsh National is no easy feat, but to be able to win two is even harder. Mountainous was the last horse to win two Welsh Nationals in 2013 and 2015, but Iwilldoit definitely has it in his locker to do the same.

The Rivals

Monbeg Genius

The current ante-post favourite for the race, Monbeg Genius represents the two-time winning trainer, Jonjo O’Neill. Still only seven years old, Monbeg Genius is progressing at a rate of knots over fences, and seems to be improving with every step up in distance that he has encountered.

That makes the Welsh National an ideal race for Jonjo O’Neill’s star, as the 3 miles 6 furlong trip should suit him down to the ground. He seems to have all the attributes to go very close in a race of this nature.

Super Survivor

Jamie Snowden is one of the most in-form trainers in the sport right now, and he will be represented at Chepstow by the well fancied, Super Survivor. Still slightly inexperienced, Super Survivor has had just seven career starts, but this race has been won by many similar types in the past.

The fact that he has never raced beyond a distance of 3 miles is another worry, but, like Monbeg Genius, he is a horse on the up and could play a part in the outcome of this year’s Welsh Grand National.

Nassalam

Nassalam may also be in the early stages of his career, but he brings a lot more experience into the race than the two aforementioned runners. Trained by the wily Gary Moore, who has never won a Welsh National, Nassalam followed home subsequent Aintree Grand National winner, Corach Rambler, at Cheltenham last year and has since run with merit in his three starts.

The stamina-sapping challenge of the Chepstow highlight is a question he must answer but he another that is fancied to run a big race at Christmas.