Wales have big chance to end 100-year wait for Grand National win
Published:There has not been a Welsh-trained winner of the Grand National in over 100 years, but 2013 represents one of the best opportunities for this lengthy streak to be ended.
Of the 84 horses to have been entered into the Grand National, eight come from Wales and three are prominent in the ante-post betting.
The owner/trainer combination of Graham Wylie and Willie Mullins are responsible for 16/1 favourites Prince De Beauchene and On His Own, with Ireland training 32 of the total entrants.
However, Evan Williams, Rebecca Curtis and Tim Vaughan will all feel that they can bring success in the race to Wales for the first time since Kirkland in 1905.
Williams’ Cappa Bleu finished fourth last year at 25/1 and is currently the same price to improve on that run this time with victory.
The fact that he has experience of the race must be regarded as a positive and as long as the ground isn’t too soft at Aintree, he has to enter each-way calculations.
Teaforthree is one of the brightest lights from the yard of Curtis and should be well suited to the demands of the Grand National given that he is an out-an-out stayer.
The nine-year-old finished second in the Welsh National on his last start and was probably only denied victory because some fences were omitted as a result of the really heavy ground.
He will enjoy jumping more than most and is another contender at 20/1 assuming that he gets round.
Vaughan has three entries, with Beshabar by far his biggest threat over Tartak and Saint Are.
Beshabar headed the ante-post Grand National market for the last renewal until sustaining an injury in the Hennessy Gold Cup and he has not set foot on the racecourse again since.
It is a big ask to win a Grand National after 18 months off the course, but 25/1 could prove one of the best ante-post prices on offer.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
