The Welsh Grand National of 2025 at Chepstow is again a target for last year’s runner-up Jubilee Express. Horses trained within the Principality, particularly by Lisvane handler Sam Thomas, have done well in recent editions of the Premier Handicap chase over three-and-three-quarter miles run annually on 27 December.
Jubilee Express kept on into second place behind Val Dancer 12 months ago. Under a 4lb penalty for landing the official trial here last time out, the eight-year-old is 2lb well-in but also 7lb higher than when emerging from the Chepstow fog last season. Stable companion Iwilldoit, successful in 2021, was back in third with the front three pulling 10 lengths clear of Monbeg Genius in atrocious conditions.
With just 10st 3lb on his back, it’s easy to see why horse racing betting sites favour Jubilee Express for the Welsh Grand National in 2025. Trained relatively local to Chepstow in South Glamorgan, he actually needed the penalty to get in to the race without being out of the handicap. As popular as Jubilee Express will be in the market, there are plenty of others to consider.
Git Maker placed in both the 2024 Scottish Grand National and last season’s Grand National Trial. If over the lameness that prevented him from going one better in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, then Jamie Snowden’s charge has good back form that suggests he’s a player here. Git Maker chased home subsequent Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin the season before last and has had a prep run over hurdles before running here.
The Tizzard stable has also done well in this race, saddling Native River and Elegant Escape to victory. Rock My Way represents that yard this year, but he runs off 9lb higher than when landing the Berkshire National in deteriorating conditions at Ascot last month.
Welter Burdens for Haiti Couleurs, Mr Vango in Welsh Grand National of 2025
He chased home Haiti Couleurs in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham over this trip in the spring. Rebecca Curtis reverts to handicaps with her Irish Grand National hero following a no-show in the Betfair Chase around Haydock. Haiti Couleurs just avoids being topweight here as Intense Raffles comes over from Ireland and the frames the handicap.
He must now concede an entire stone in weight to old rival Rock My Way instead of the 3lb from their Cheltenham encounter. Haiti Couleurs is 11lb worse off with that one, but also another popular local runner aiming for success in the Welsh Grand National of 2025 after an incredible novice campaign. Curtis trains near Newport in Pembrokeshire.
Soft going is the minimum requirement for Sara Bradstock’s gigantic horse Mr Vango, meanwhile. He landed the London National, Peter Marsh and Midlands Grand National last season, defying 12 stone and holding off Venetia Williams runner Tanganyika by a length around Uttoxeter. An unlucky loser over the Grand National fences in the Becher Chase last time, Mr Vango could head back to Aintree in the spring.
There are always doubts about whether he’ll have optimum conditions on Merseyside, however, so connections may need to make hay while the going is in his favour. Mr Vango has no stamina doubts whatsoever for this trip, given the Midlands National is four-and-a-quarter miles. A horse of his size can carry heavy weights, provided the ground is sufficiently soft to cushion his landing.
If Chepstow doesn’t come up sufficiently soft, Plan B for Mr Vango is the Classic Chase at Warwick in January or going back to the Grand National Trial where he made all. He’s 3lb well-in here, because the race closed before the Becher and a short-head defeat there means no penalty.
O’Connell, Collectors Item Have Claims
Staying chasers are bread and butter to the West Yorkshire yard of Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith. They send O’Connell to the Welsh Grand National of 2025 with a 4lb penalty for London National success at Sandown last time. Gavin Sheehan must ride for Snowden here, however, as he’s the stable jockey. O’Connell has Danny McMenamin deputising in the saddle.
O’Connell takes the Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase🏆
A gutsy performance from @GavinSheehan92 & O’Connell😮💨 pic.twitter.com/SBgJFrv9vb
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 6, 2025
Having landed both the Lincolnshire National and Masters Handicap Chase last winter, this is his time of year. O’Connell is the same age as Mr Vango and Git Maker, and nine-year-olds are fully mature horses. While most of his form is from clockwise tracks, he looks another with abundant stamina. Racing left-handed shouldn’t be an issue for O’Connell.
Jonjo O’Neill and sons AJ and Jonjo Junior always have something lined up for this race. Monbeg Genius was fourth 12 months ago, but races off the same mark with the handicapper reluctant to relent. Instead, Collectors Item who chased home Jubilee Express in the official trial, could be of interest. He’s 3lb well-in to the contest and doesn’t have his re-opposing rival’s penalty.
Collectors Item chased home Mr Vango in the London National last season, then landed the Somerset National around Wincanton. Connections of Dom Of Mary, meanwhile, hoped the weights would go up just a little bit, but James Owen’s runner is just 1lb out of the handicap. He beat a subsequent Cheltenham winner over the Welsh Grand National distance up at Newcastle last time.
A 4lb rise for yet another nine-year-old might not be insurmountable. The Twiston-Davies team must decide whether to take a step into the unknown stamina-wise with Uncle Bert. He is 4lb well-in despite a 4lb penalty and so in theory the best treated runner in handicapping terms.
Welsh Grand National 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
Pretty much everything else apart from Where It All Began, 2023 winner Nassalam and Deafening Silence that our experts haven’t mentioned is out of the weights. While Haiti Couleurs and Mr Vango have to be on any shortlist for winning over trip and further, three of the last five winners have defied a penalty. O’CONNELL can give his trainers another major win of a staying handicap in a fine season.
Collectors Item could also turn the tables on Jubilee Express from the official trial despite the online bookmakers‘ favourite being very well weighted. Git Maker certainly isn’t out of it either, but hasn’t jumped a fence in public since March and that’s a slight worry. Rock My Way is a lot better off with Haiti Couleurs from Cheltenham in the spring, but won so well at Ascot that his own hike in the weights makes life tougher.
