The favourites for the Welsh Grand National 

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Last Updated on September 15, 2022 by admin

The favourites for the Welsh Grand National 

The 2021-22 National Hunt racing season may have only gotten underway last month, with the Cheltenham November Meeting acting as the traditional curtain raiser for the sport in the United Kingdom. However, we have already had some big meetings since, including the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the Trophy Chase at Newbury and several others.  

With the festive period on the horizon, it is an exciting time for jumps racing and there are a couple of big meetings on the cards around Christmas — namely the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing. But all eyes will also be on Chepstow on December 27th, with the Welsh Grand National due to take place in front of a packed-out crowd for the first time since 2019.  

That said, we’ve scoured the internet for the best horse racing odds today and picked out some of the favourites for the Welsh Grand National. Read on to find out more! 

Secret Reprieve – 8/1 

Last year’s winner, Secret Reprieve is back at the forefront of the three-mile, six-furlong race’s ante-post market. The seven-year-old came off the back of a fall at Haydock last November to win the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow by 12 lengths clear of The Two Amigos. That was enough to see him head back for the main event as the favourite and in similar circumstances, the Evan Williams-trained horse beat The Two Amigos again — this time by a shorter three lengths.  

Yet to make his seasonal reappearance due to unfavourable ground, Secret Reprieve’s title defence hangs in the balance though as Williams is praying for a bit of rain to get his prized asset’s season up and running.  

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Ask Me Early – 9/1 

Hot on the heels of Secret Reprieve, Ask Me Early comes into the ante-post betting at 9/1. The Harry Fry-trained horse had a decent season last year, winning three of five races — including two at Novices’ Limited Handicap Chases Chepstow. He rounded the season off with a victory at Uttoxeter in March, and returned to the winners’ enclosure at Exeter at the beginning of November, beating Grange Road by a neck. With the horse having wind surgery in the summer, it was a win Fry deemed as a ‘nice bonus’ as all he hoped was for Ask Me Early to come out in one piece.  

With a run and victory already in the tank this season, the seven-year-old could head to Chepstow for the trail race and with a win there, he would certainly be one to watch in the Welsh Grand National. 

Time To Get Up – 12/1 

He may have 26 Cheltenham Festival victories, including the Gold Cup on his CV, but Jonjo O’Neill is yet to saddle a winner in the Welsh Grand National. The British trainer will be hoping that his 12/1 shot Time To Get Up can break that duck this year. After a winless start to last season, finishing third and fourth at Aintree and Wetherby, the eight-year-old ended the campaign with back-to-back victories, including in the Listed Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter.  

He was 11th in the Sefton Handicap Chase back at Aintree in his seasonal reappearance last month, but we doubt O’Neill would have been too concerned with that result as Time To Get Up jumped the difficult fences there reasonably well. He’s still in with a shout in this race, that’s for sure!