2011 Welsh National Tips
This year we held back publishing the tips for the Coral Welsh National until the last possible minute. Our experience with the weather in 2010 meant we preferred to take a ‘wait and see approach’. Thank heavens we did! The withdrawal of synchronised and the rain clouds brewing over Chepstow have dramatically altered the betting.
Conditions at Chepstow will play a major part in todays race, the clerk of the course said on Monday: “We had some rain yesterday evening which wasn’t forecast, and it’s been drizzling on and off this morning. It’s heavy, wet ground out there, and the Welsh National in particular is going to provide some slog in the conditions.
The 2011 Coral Welsh National is looking like the perfect race for mud lovers and quality stayers, so with that in mind our tips favour horses with proven experience on heavy ground.
One of our best tips is to check out Paddy Power online bookmakers, they’re paying out 5 places each way on the Coral Welsh National!
GALAXY ROCK | ODDS 15/2
WEIGHT (11-02) | AGE (7) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER (5)
Second season chasing and has won four from last five starts in this sphere; surged to new heights with thoroughly dominant display in useful 3m3f handicap at Cheltenham last month and this trip should be fine; ground is an issue but coped better with soft ground last term and won sole start on heavy.
This horse really caught my eye at Cheltenham a few weeks ago (beating CARRUTHERS), a big race win can’t be far off for this quality stayer.
LATEST FORM (141-31)
Dougie Costello
Jonjo O´Neill
You could be forgiven for thinking that Trainer Jonjo O´Neill fancied Galaxy Rock on this ground more than his other horse ‘Synchronised’, was this the reason for switching Synchronised to a run in the Lexus instead of defending his Welsh National crown?
LE BEAU BAI | ODDS 7/1
WEIGHT (10-01) | AGE (8) | NAT. (FR) | NUMBER (13)
Can’t have the ground soft enough, as shown winning here on heavy in December 2009 and 2011; on first occasion that preceded a good third in this race (off 12lb higher than today) and it’s easy to envisage something at least as good this time round after recent revival.
LATEST FORM (P-0P71)
Charlie Poste
Richard Lee
CARRUTHERS | ODDS 15/2
WEIGHT (11-08) | AGE (8) | NAT. (GB) | NUMBER (2)
Front-runner; below best last season but that left him very well handicapped when back on song for latest start, winning the Hennessy at Newbury in clear-cut style when tongue tied first time; 6lb rise is not harsh, has won three times on heavy going and style of last month’s win makes him well worth another crack at this sort of trip.
LATEST FORM (649-31)
Mattie Batchelor
Mark Bradstock
Our Island | ODDS 20/1
WEIGHT (10-00) | AGE (6) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER (18)
Let’s get this straight now, this tip is our ‘long shot’ each way gamble. He looks like a dour stayer at around 3m and never raced beyond that, so this trip must be interesting, but it’s a quick return after what looked a very hard race and he’s young and inexperienced; first-time cheekpieces. We’re big fans of the jockey Aidan Coleman so that might have coloured our judgement, but if you’re into big odds then this could be the one for you.
LATEST FORM (7-4292)
Aidan Coleman
Tim Vaughan
So, there we have it, our tips for the big race! Remember that Paddy Power are paying out each way bets on 1,2,3,4, and 5th place!
