Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen Saturday Blog | Chepstow Coral Welsh Grand National
26 Dec 2025
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, give us an exclusive insight on the chances of their runners and rides on a huge day of action at Chepstow for the Coral Welsh Grand National.
JOE TIZZARD: 'HE WOULD BE A SIMILAR TYPE TO ELEGANT ESCAPE'
12:00 Chepstow – Tennessee Tango
He’s been progressive in his two starts over hurdles, we actually tweaked his wind after his first run of the season, and he ran well following that to finish third behind a nice sort [Gentleman Toboot] at Exeter. This is a step up in class and if he’s not up to it then at least it will be his third run and he’ll get his handicap mark, but as I say, he is going the right way.
13:05 Chepstow – Siam Park
Siam Park has been so much better since we went chasing with him, winning four times, including at Plumpton last month. He’s gone up seven pounds for that, which won’t make life easy for him, but I think the course will really suit him and this is his trip. He’s going from strength to strength and I think he has a really good chance.
14:10 Chepstow – Ambion View
Ambion View has finished second in his two starts this season, so he’s running well, but we’re stepping him up in trip here to try something different. I’m glad the ground is drying out as that will help him get the trip, and one of these days everything will fall right for him. I’m very happy with him, and with the trip the only real question mark, I’m hopeful of another decent run from a very consistent type.
14:50 Chepstow (Coral Welsh Grand National) – Rock My Way
This is a race we love to target, and as a yard we’ve been lucky enough to win it twice. Rock My Way wouldn’t have too much in common with Native River, who was a Gold Cup horse of the future who went to Chepstow as a well-handicapped horse, but he would be a similar type to Elegant Escape, albeit he carries quite a bit less weight than he did when he won this.
Stepping him up to marathon trips has been the making of this fellow. He found only Haiti Couleurs too good in the National Hunt Chase – and we’re much better off at the weights with him here – and then finished fifth in the Coral Scottish National. He then improved massively for his first run of this season to win the Berkshire National at Ascot and since then this has been the plan.
He jumps well, he stays well, and he came out of the Ascot race really well. This is a really competitive race as it should be, but Rock My Way is a bigger and stronger horse this season than last, and I hope he has as good a chance as the betting says he has.
15:25 Chepstow – Western General
Western General is still paying the price for winning some fairly bad races last year, he got harshly handicapped and that’s been reflected by his recent performances. He’s still too high in the handicap in my opinion, but we have to run him and hope the handicapper relents enough to give him a chance of being competitive again.
SEAN BOWEN: 'I'D LOVE TO ADD MY NAME TO THE ROLL OF HONOUR'
12:30 Chepstow – Knight Templar
This will be my first ride on this horse. He ran well on his comeback run at Exeter, finishing less than a length behind the winner. Unfortunately, he didn’t step up on that on his latest outing at Kempton. When studying this horse’s form, I noticed he was a winner on this day 12 months ago in a juvenile hurdle. Hopefully, he can find some luck on this day again and outrun his odds.
13:05 Chepstow – Ballybreeze
This horse is a bit in and out, but he is a two-time course and distance winner here, so he has shown he enjoys it at this place. I should imagine he will step forward on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham. The ground was a little too soft for his last time at Prestbury Park, and it should be in his favour for this run. It’s a small field, and there is very little between the leading runners in the race, so on his best day, he would be more than capable of winning this.
13:40 Chepstow – Sonic Pioneer
I was really pleased with Sonic Pioneer at Kempton on his debut win. His jumping was good and he travelled so smoothly. I am excited to see what he can do next. Martin Keighley has opted to step straight up to Grade Two level, so he obviously believes in the horse. Macktoad and Manlaga both come here with big reputations too, but I like my horse, and I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in this field.
14:50 Chepstow (Coral Welsh Grand National) – Haiti Couleurs
Rebecca Curtis felt Haydock came too soon for this horse following his prep run at Newbury. We are hoping that didn’t take too much out of him. If it hasn’t, he will have an excellent chance in the Coral Welsh Grand National. He won two big staying races last season (National Hunt Challenge Cup and Irish Grand National), so he has proven himself to be one of the best staying chasers at this level.
It is no surprise that he has one of the highest weight allocations in this race, but it doesn’t concern me too much, as the ground is not going to be too testing this year. I’d rather be on one of the highest-rated runners in the field than one at the bottom end of the weights. This race is a huge deal in Wales. My brother won it in 2017, and I’d love to add my name to the roll of honour board too. There will be a huge crowd at Chepstow and the atmosphere will be great across the day.
Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, Coral Racing Ambassadors
JOE TIZZARD: 'HE WOULD BE A SIMILAR TYPE TO ELEGANT ESCAPE'
12:00 Chepstow – Tennessee Tango
He’s been progressive in his two starts over hurdles, we actually tweaked his wind after his first run of the season, and he ran well following that to finish third behind a nice sort [Gentleman Toboot] at Exeter. This is a step up in class and if he’s not up to it then at least it will be his third run and he’ll get his handicap mark, but as I say, he is going the right way.
13:05 Chepstow – Siam Park
Siam Park has been so much better since we went chasing with him, winning four times, including at Plumpton last month. He’s gone up seven pounds for that, which won’t make life easy for him, but I think the course will really suit him and this is his trip. He’s going from strength to strength and I think he has a really good chance.
14:10 Chepstow – Ambion View
Ambion View has finished second in his two starts this season, so he’s running well, but we’re stepping him up in trip here to try something different. I’m glad the ground is drying out as that will help him get the trip, and one of these days everything will fall right for him. I’m very happy with him, and with the trip the only real question mark, I’m hopeful of another decent run from a very consistent type.
14:50 Chepstow (Coral Welsh Grand National) – Rock My Way
This is a race we love to target, and as a yard we’ve been lucky enough to win it twice. Rock My Way wouldn’t have too much in common with Native River, who was a Gold Cup horse of the future who went to Chepstow as a well-handicapped horse, but he would be a similar type to Elegant Escape, albeit he carries quite a bit less weight than he did when he won this.
Stepping him up to marathon trips has been the making of this fellow. He found only Haiti Couleurs too good in the National Hunt Chase – and we’re much better off at the weights with him here – and then finished fifth in the Coral Scottish National. He then improved massively for his first run of this season to win the Berkshire National at Ascot and since then this has been the plan.
He jumps well, he stays well, and he came out of the Ascot race really well. This is a really competitive race as it should be, but Rock My Way is a bigger and stronger horse this season than last, and I hope he has as good a chance as the betting says he has.
15:25 Chepstow – Western General
Western General is still paying the price for winning some fairly bad races last year, he got harshly handicapped and that’s been reflected by his recent performances. He’s still too high in the handicap in my opinion, but we have to run him and hope the handicapper relents enough to give him a chance of being competitive again.
SEAN BOWEN: 'I'D LOVE TO ADD MY NAME TO THE ROLL OF HONOUR'
12:30 Chepstow – Knight Templar
This will be my first ride on this horse. He ran well on his comeback run at Exeter, finishing less than a length behind the winner. Unfortunately, he didn’t step up on that on his latest outing at Kempton. When studying this horse’s form, I noticed he was a winner on this day 12 months ago in a juvenile hurdle. Hopefully, he can find some luck on this day again and outrun his odds.
13:05 Chepstow – Ballybreeze
This horse is a bit in and out, but he is a two-time course and distance winner here, so he has shown he enjoys it at this place. I should imagine he will step forward on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham. The ground was a little too soft for his last time at Prestbury Park, and it should be in his favour for this run. It’s a small field, and there is very little between the leading runners in the race, so on his best day, he would be more than capable of winning this.
13:40 Chepstow – Sonic Pioneer
I was really pleased with Sonic Pioneer at Kempton on his debut win. His jumping was good and he travelled so smoothly. I am excited to see what he can do next. Martin Keighley has opted to step straight up to Grade Two level, so he obviously believes in the horse. Macktoad and Manlaga both come here with big reputations too, but I like my horse, and I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in this field.
14:50 Chepstow (Coral Welsh Grand National) – Haiti Couleurs
Rebecca Curtis felt Haydock came too soon for this horse following his prep run at Newbury. We are hoping that didn’t take too much out of him. If it hasn’t, he will have an excellent chance in the Coral Welsh Grand National. He won two big staying races last season (National Hunt Challenge Cup and Irish Grand National), so he has proven himself to be one of the best staying chasers at this level.
It is no surprise that he has one of the highest weight allocations in this race, but it doesn’t concern me too much, as the ground is not going to be too testing this year. I’d rather be on one of the highest-rated runners in the field than one at the bottom end of the weights. This race is a huge deal in Wales. My brother won it in 2017, and I’d love to add my name to the roll of honour board too. There will be a huge crowd at Chepstow and the atmosphere will be great across the day.
Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, Coral Racing Ambassadors
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