RIVER EYES REPEAT BID FOR GLORY
HE may be turning 12 in a few days, but such is Native River’s class he will still give 10lb and more to the whole of the Coral Welsh National field at Chepstow today. One of four previous winners in the race, Colin Tizzard’s 2018 Gold Cup hero loves nothing more than a stamina test in the mud and that is what he will get in Wales once again.
In his final season, it would be a famous victory for a popular horse should he pull it off.
Stablemate Elegant Escape, last year’s winner Secret Reprieve and Christian Williams’ Potters Corner are the other runners to have tasted glory in that marathon test before.
Garth Broome, Native River’s owner, does not see his welter burden proving a problem. “We are looking forward to it,” he said. “He used to carry more than that weight before.
“It is not necessarily the weight he has got, it is more about what the others are carrying.
“He likes Chepstow and the distance, so if the forecast rain comes we’ll be happy. He will always run his race and is as genuine as they come.”
It has been an unusual preparation for Secret Reprieve, who has not been seen since last year’s heroics.
It has been a mixed season for trainer Evan Williams, with big-race successes for the likes of Dans Le Vent, Coole Cody and Ansaam. But his team have had to cope with the loss of yard favourite Silver Streak.
“We’ve got some very, very smart horses and
we’ve got a lot of the lesser lights running good races, people cling on to those big Saturday wins, they’re the ones that get you noticed,” said Williams.
“I suppose this fellow’s (Secret Reprieve) work at home is good against horses which have been running very, very big races in big Saturday races.
“If it happens again, fantastic, if it doesn’t, as long as we come back in one piece then I’ll be delighted.”
Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit was a convincing winner of the Welsh Grand National Trial earlier in the month, prevailing by 24 lengths from Colorado Doc over a trip just short of three miles.
“It (the trial win) wasn’t a great surprise, he certainly showed us what he can do,” the Welsh trainer told Sky Sports Racing.
“He’s always been a good jumper, he’s a pleasure to ride at home – he’s a bit of a natural, so it was a surprise to see him do what he did at Kelso when he nearly fell at the first. It was just a bit of a write-off that day.
“Like any sort of stayer, once you get them into their comfort zone they can maintain that gallop, I’ve no doubt he’ll get the trip.
“Native River brings a high level of class to the race, and we’ve got to step up, we’re aware of that.
“But the fact we’ve got 10st is a real bonus. For a horse who likes to bowl along from somewhere near the front, to have a nice low weight, he’ll think he’s loose.
“It will be great if it comes off, it’s been the plan for a little while.”