Welsh Grand National: key trainer quotes as Secret Reprieve bids for rare double

Coral Welsh Grand National (Grade 3) | 4yo+ | 3m6½f | ITV4/Sky

Only three horses since the second world war have won two Welsh Grand Nationals and Evan Williams has had to contend with one of the driest autumns in living memory in South Wales as he attempts to gear up Secret Reprieve in his bid to join Limonali, Bonanza Boy and Mountainous.

Not only has quick ground scuppered any prospect of a prep run but Secret Reprieve missed the cut for the Grand National at Aintree by one, meaning this will be the seven-year-old's first racecourse appearance since landing this great prize 50 weeks ago in the rescheduled 2020 running back in January.

"It's very difficult [to win back-to-back Welsh Nationals] and any of those horses that have managed to win a couple, they had everything in their favour on those particular days," said Williams. "We'll need a lot of things in our favour but that is the same with any 3m6f handicap chase at the highest level."

Evan Williams and Secret Reprieve after landing last season's weather-delayed raceCredit: Edward Whitaker

Among those things that have come right for Williams is the arrival of rain at Chepstow and the increased emphasis on stamina looks sure to play to his strengths on the evidence of last season's win.

With the yard continuing to go well, Williams believes he has got plenty of insight as to the form that Secret Reprieve is in.

He said: "We've got very smart horses and a lot of the lesser lights have been running good races, but people cling on to those big Saturday races and they're the ones that get you noticed. This fella's work is good against horses who have been running very big races in big Saturday races."

What they say

Joe Tizzard, assistant trainer of Native River and Elegant Escape
Native River's not really a King George horse and there's not really another option for him. It's a big ask with top weight in a Welsh National but he's the class horse in the race and we know he loves the track and conditions. He's come out of the Many Clouds really well, where he was beaten by a horse half his age, so he's still in good nick and we're happy to take our chance. Elegant Escape was originally going to go for the Becher Chase but the ground through the autumn delayed plans a bit so we came for this. Again, he's a horse who was won it before but the handicapper hasn't given him a lot of chance after a year off. He stays well so it's the right race for him.

Tom Lacey, trainer of Kimberlite Candy
We've been very happy with him since Aintree and I think the Welsh National will be right up his street. We've had plenty of rain and we're putting blinkers on in the hope it helps him and therefore the jockey a little bit. He's won at Chepstow and I think he'll run a big race.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Truckers Lodge and Highland Hunter
The more rain for the pair of them the better. Highland Hunter has had a great preparation, he went to Sandown and won. He's a good strong stayer and he's improved on last year. Truckers Lodge is a small horse and forgetting his handicap mark – I still think he's a bit high – he's actually carrying a nice weight with 10st 10lb. He's always been carrying a lot of weight and the more of a slog the better for him. He's a massive each-way price.

Mighty Thunder (left): winner of the 2021 Scottish Grand NationalCredit: Pool

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Mighty Thunder
I'm really pleased with him and I think conditions will suit him. He seems to be in very good form. He was ready to run at the start of December but an extra three or four weeks won't have made much difference to him. We're going there hopeful of a really big run.

Peter Fahey, trainer of The Big Dog
He's got a nice weight with Native River staying in the race and we know he likes slower ground. He's travelled over well and I couldn't be happier with him.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Achille and Hold That Taught
Achille has shown he stays these distances well and we hope for a good run from him. He got a tendon injury at Cheltenham two years ago and did well to come back from that. Hugh [Nugent] has won twice on Achille so it was obvious he should ride. Hold That Taught is a second season novice and he's always given the indication that staying will be his thing. There will be a lot of people whose horses are out of the handicap who will be hoping they've got a bit up their sleeve but in a race of this quality it's rare.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Discordantly
He's going over in great form and I hope he can run a big race off a nice racing weight. He needed his first run back but he's much straighter and we've had this as a plan for a while now.

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Deise Aba
All his best form has been at Sandown and he's been a bit inconsistent elsewhere. But he's been in very good form since so we're just hoping things work out at Chepstow. If they do then he's quite well in because the handicapper put him up after Sandown and he's off his old mark. We hope it all works.

Deise Aba will be looking to transfer his excellent Sandown form to ChepstowCredit: Alan Crowhurst

David Brace, trainer of Colorado Doc
We think everything, including the ground conditions, will suit him fine. He's out of the same mare as Honeysuckle. I had the mare and bred him before selling the mare on. He's got lots of ability and was a bit temperamental when he was younger and was difficult to train. But he's in great nick now and we're looking for a big run. He stays well and he's a super jumper.

Sam Thomas, trainer of Iwilldoit
It's a short enough gap from his previous run, it seems crazy to have a trial for a big staying handicap just three weeks before. I've done nothing with him at all and learned he doesn't need a lot of hard graft as he's so genuine and you just need to get him happy and healthy and he'll do it on the track. We always thought that was what he could do [in the trial] as he jumps and gallops for fun. The softer the ground, the easier he will find it as it'll slow the opposition down.

Tim Vaughan, trainer of Eva's Oskar
We just got in there. Obviously I'd rather be in the handicap proper but he's won round the track twice, he's still progressive and he should improve for the extended trip and the soft ground. Off a low weight we felt it was worth rolling the dice. The conditions are coming right for him.

Eva's Oskar (right) has fine course form around ChepstowCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Harry Fry, trainer of Captain Drake
With Native River declaring, he's wrong at the weights but he's running off 140 which is exactly the same as he ran off last year when only beaten six lengths in fourth. On what he did last year we're happy to take our chance and hopefully first-time blinkers have the desired effect.

Sandy Thomson, trainer of Hill Sixteen
If things had been slightly different at Aintree it might have gone the other way. As it was all anyone could speak about was the mare [Snow Leopardess] which was a bit frustrating. It would be great if he could go down there and put the record straight. To begin with I didn't think we'd be going to Chepstow but I've been delighted with him in the last few days, while he's still two pounds well in.

Christian Williams, trainer of Potters Corner
We're looking forward to it. He's not only a course-and-distance winner but in this ground and it looks like he's coming back to form. We're excited he's just snuck in. We've had loads of rain and there's more coming.

Read more Monday previews . . .

1.40 Chepstow: is there another star in this year's Finale? Graeme Rodway analyses the field

2.30 Kempton: Henderson confident Shishkin is ready for return – but has concerns over ground

Big-race analysis: Keith Melrose on why the Welsh National has always been a front runner's haven (Members' Club)

2.55 Leopardstown: essential insight and quotes for the Paddy Power Chase

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