Secret Reprieve heads field of 30 for Welsh Grand National repeat bid

Last season's winner Secret Reprieve on Tuesday topped 30 chasers left in the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow and will attempt to become the first horse to win successive runnings of Wales's biggest race since Bonanza Boy in 1988 and 1989.

Former ante-post favourite Ask Me Early was among those taken out, after not recovering from a training fall.

Paul Nicholls did not confirm Threeunderthrufive, who has won his last three starts and is entered in a Grade 1 novice chase at Kempton on Sunday, but the champion jumps trainer still has Highland Hunter, who won the London National at Sandown this month, and Truckers Lodge engaged in a race he has not landed since Silver Birch and L'Aventure in 2004 and 2005.

The sponsors report support for two horses trained by Colin Tizzard and cut Native River (who won the race in 2016) to 14-1 (from 20) and Elegant Escape (the 2018 winner) to 16-1 (from 20).

Coral spokesman David Stevens said: "Although Secret Reprieve heads the betting to win back-to-back Coral Welsh Nationals, two other previous winners of the race have shortened in the market, with punters not put off the chances of Native River and Elegant Escape despite them giving plenty of weight away to their Chepstow rivals."

Coral Welsh Grand National (December 27)
Coral: 5 Secret Reprieve, 6 Highland Hunter, The Big Dog, 7 Hold That Taught, 12 Deise Aba, Hill Sixteen, Iwilldoit, Mighty Thunder, 14 Native River, 16 Elegant Escape, Potters Corner, Ramses De Teillee, 20 bar

Read more:

Favourite Ask Me Early to miss Welsh National after Fry loses race against time

Native River given green light to target second Welsh National under big weight

No crowd for the Welsh National as Covid measures on sport in Wales announced

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