Wales-trained Iwilldoit wins Welsh Grand National to keep trophy on home soil for third consecutive year

The Coral Welsh Grand National title remained in Wales for a third consecutive year after Iwilldoit won at Chepstow on Monday.

The eight-year-old, trained by Lisvane-based Welshman Sam Thomas, ridden by Stan Sheppard and owned by Diamond Racing Ltd, carried on the Welsh winning tradition on just his fourth chase start after enjoying a perfect warm-up by winning the Welsh Grand National Trial at the course.

Paul Nicholls' Highland Hunter and Truckers Lodge came second and third respectively, with Venetia Williams' Achille in fourth.

Evan Williams' Llancarfan-trained Secret Reprieve, defending his Welsh Grand National title heading into the race, came fifth and was the last of five to finish the race.

The Christian-Williams trained winner of the 2019 race, Ogmore-based Potters Corner, also competed. Before Williams' win two years ago, it had been 54 years since a Welsh trainer had won the Welsh race at Chepstow, and there have now been three Welsh winners in successive years.

The race is marked as a £150,000 race, with the winner pocketing £85,425.

Abergavenny-born Thomas, who won the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup on board Denman as a rider, said: "It is tremendous to keep it in Wales. I am a proud Welshman and it hasn't really sunk in. It is what dreams are made of, really.

"Big targets keep your eye on the ball and it is what gets you out of bed every day.

"I have a fantastic team at home and this is a team effort.

"When he hit the front down the back and got into his rhythm, I thought all he had to do was stay on his feet really and he'd keep running his race.

"Stan gave him a lovely ride - it is a lot of pressure for a young jockey, but I'm delighted for him.

"He loved those conditions and bottom weight in those sort of races obviously helps in soft ground. Hopefully, I will be able to enjoy it a little more later."

Welsh horse racing's biggest race was staged without spectators due to new Welsh Government Covid regulations preventing fans from attending professional sports events amid a surge in Omicron cases.

"It is very bizarre being stood here in an empty stand with no crowd," Thomas added.

"It just doesn't feel right, really.

"I have enjoyed every minute of that race, but my family should be here, the rest of the owners should be here, and it is a very sad day for racing, really.

"It just doesn't feel right - 40 minutes away in Bristol [where there are no restrictions] there is a full stadium of people watching rugby. It is crazy."

Bristol Bears faced Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership on Boxing Day at Ashton Gate in front of more than 20,000 fans.