Welsh National Chepstow 2.50 3 miles 6 furlongs and 130 yards - Going Soft - 17 run

 

Lets get the 2018 winner and hot favourite ELEGANT ESCAPE out of the way. A worthy favourite, the one they all have to beat but at around 10/3 or 7/2 has absolutely no value at all. If you want to cover the following tips and tracker with a "win saver" and in any Tricast Perm please feel free.

 

I narrowed the remainder down to 8 horses and think that of those who have yet to conclusively prove their stamina that Captain Chaos for the Skeltons and Truckers Lodge for Nicholls are the most likely. We saw yesterday with Worthy Farm at Wincantion which we mentioned in the analysis how Nicholls can get a horse to click over fences by sending it out Hunting and in the case of Truckers Lodge a big and bold run would not surprise but this race is usually a real test of stamina.

 

Potters Corner won The Midlands National so has assured stamina and is also a Course winner but the handicap mark looks a little high for me and if it turns soft at Uttoxeter again in March I think that's more of a target. The Two Amigos had an excellent 2018 and I think this front runner will take them a long way in to the race and may hang on for a place but the handicap mark again looks a little on the high side but both horses capable of bold shows.

 

SPACE CADET looks the most interesting of those at big odds, the Irish trained horse likes heavy Going and has form at 3 1/2 miles and i fancy he could run an enhanced place at big odds.

 

That leaves me with 3 and the main 2 tips are YALA ENKI who ran 3rd in this last year. Has run so many bold races in big races and is still only a 9 year old. The move to Paul Nicholls is intriguing and should be fully primed for this race and in my opinion the one they all have to beat. PRIME VENTURE represents Evan Williams who has a strong hand here he gets this trip, perfectly fine on soft Going, runs off a nice handicap mark and with a safe passage should be bang in contention down the long and undulating straight.

 

For the Tracker, I like another Evan Williams horse the less exposed POBBLES BAY, was 7th in this in the 2017 running (actually rearranged and run in January 2018) and then was stepped back to shorter trips. I think basically 2 years older, stronger and wiser now is the time to have another crack at the race and one I have more than a quiet fancy for.

 

TIPS - Yala Enki + Prime Venture TRACKER Pobbles Bay @ 20/1 (live outsider Space Cadet @ 33/1 )