Welsh Grand National 2025 race analysis and preview: Jubilee Express heads the field

Chepstow racecourse stages its premier race this weekend, as the 2025 Welsh Grand National takes place. 

Due to run on Saturday, December 27, almost four miles of the Monmouthshire countryside awaits runners and riders looking to make history. 

Twenty-three scheduled fences are set to be jumped in a race that awards just under £200,000 in prize money. 

This year’s race sees Welsh trainer Sam Thomas go in search of his second Welsh Grand National win as a trainer; he trains the ante-post favourite. 

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Jubilee Express

Jubilee Express trades at 6/1, though he returned from nine months off the track with a disappointing run at Cheltenham in November 

He did, however, make amends by winning on his latest start – and his second-placed effort in this race last year shows that he handles the challenge. 

That race was the last of four successive runs in which he placed within the top three – winning once. 

Thomas said: “He’s one of those big, burly horses and takes so much work.

“There’s definitely more to come, especially as he’s now a bit more battle-hardened and has been in some bigger races; he knows what to expect.

“I think that goes a long way when you’re going into these big races, they are well prepared and know what’s about to happen.”

Mr Vango & Git Maker

Mr Vango and Git Maker come next in the betting (7/1), with the former having yet to finish outside the first three in any of his 10 completed races. 

All three of his races last season ended in victory – two of which were in Grade Three Handicap Chases – before he came second in this season’s reappearance, in the Becher Chase, ran over the Grand National fences. 

The latter hasn’t won a race since November 2023 and has been comprehensively beaten in six races since – though they came against superior opponents and he placed in four of those races, including on a seasonal reappearance in November. 

Haiti Couleurs

O’Connell is the sole horse priced at 8/1 to win this race, having won four of his six races since December 2024. 

A second-placed effort in the Eider Chase, at Newcastle back in February followed three consecutive victories in staying Handicaps. 

It was his final outing of last season and he began this campaign with a third-placed finish in November, before winning at Sandown two weeks ago. 

Trainer Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs takes a step back down in class from the dizzying heights of Grade One company, in which he was pulled-up in on his latest start. 

From 12 completed starts he has finished outside the first three once (he was fourth), placed second three times and won seven times. 

Prior to his defeat in the Betfair Chase in November, he had won all of four of his races over fences since finishing second on his Chasing debut last year. 

Those wins include the Irish Grand National and a Cheltenham Festival Handicap, also. 

Curtis said: “He seems really well at home, we’re very happy with him. 

“He came back from Haydock quite sore on his sacroiliac joint, which we had medicated the Monday after; it seems to have really helped.

“Obviously, it’s quite a big ask off top-weight over that trip, but hopefully he might be the class horse in the race and he’ll give it a good shot.

“I don’t think it’s going to be extremes of ground either way and he’s got form on all sorts of ground, so I’m not too worried what it turns up like.”

Rock My Way

He is one of two horses trading at 10/1 in the betting, alongside Rock My Way – trained by Joe Tizzard. 

His second win over fences came on his latest of 11 Chase starts, at Ascot, on his second outing of the campaign. 

Rock My Way’s highlight of last season came at Doncaster, where he won his first race in nine attempts since winning a Grade Two Hurdles contest in January 2023. 

He has placed second in two of his five starts between his Doncaster win and his win last month, one of which came behind Haiti Couleurs at Cheltenham. 

Both Curtis’ and Tizzard’s horses precede Intense Raffles and Collectors Item in the betting market, with the pair priced at 14/1. 

The former appears to be Ireland’s leading chance in the race and he won all of his first three starts over fences, including the 2024 Irish Grand National, but has a bit to prove. 

Two heavy defeats over hurdles can be forgiven and whilst both his runs this season have been behind very good horses – not least Il Etait Temps – he has been defeated 48.5 lengths into second and eighth. 

He was pulled up in the Grand National, though can take confidence from the fact that he had finished second to the winner Nick Rockett when the pair met at Fairyhouse, in the race prior to Aintree’s showpiece. 

Collectors Item

Collectors Item finished second to Jubilee Express on seasonal debut, which should put him in good stead for this race.

Though he too has something to prove, having taken victory in only two of his twelve starts over fences. 

Others in the market include trainer James Owen’s Dom Of Mary and trainer Dan Skelton’s Deafening Silence. 

The former has bounced back to form this season by finishing third and first on his two starts, whilst the latter has run credibly in four of his six Chase starts – winning once.

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