The Winner

L’Aventure

L’Aventure put up a great performance of steeple chasing today and after taking on and beating the best she took the title of 2005 Welsh National winner. L’Aventure ran with great gusto today and was always up with the leaders and showed how good she really is. Chepstow can be a particularly difficult course when wet and today the course was very sticky after recent wet weather. This took it's toll on many in this race with only 7 finishers but these are the conditions which allow this mare to show her best which is jumping and staying. Up with the pack and taking on the very smart hot favourite One Knight the two ran away from the pack and she had the beating of the favourite when he made an error and had a tired fall at the last fence.

Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls is one of the top trainers in the country. His performance as a trainer today was exceptional with the first three home all coming from his stable. This win just continues his great start to the season and he has now been installed as the odds-on favourite for the 2005/2006 national hunt season.

Leighton Aspell

Leighton Aspell gave Lav a great race today and adds this race to his to his win on Supreme Glory in the 2001 Welsh National. He is a fine jockey who came in for this spare ride when Paddy Brennan deserted this horse to take the free ride on the favourite One Knight. He gave the horse a great ride today always keeping him up with the pack and always in contention. He did everything he could today to allow the horse to show her best and was rewarded with a terrific win.

Second

Heros Collonges

Heros Collonges did well to get into second place today. He is a nice chasing type with not many miles on the clock due to taking three years out with an injury. Although a long way back in second today he was staying on and the ground may have just been too sticky given the 10st 11lbs he had to carry. There will be other days for him and he will certainly now be aimed at The Grand National in April and will try and improve on his good 8th position in last years race. At 10 years old

Paul Nicholls

Trainer of first second and third.

Christian Williams

Christian Williams is one of the young up and coming national hunt riders in this country. Getting good rides from the powerful Paul Nicholls yard of course is a great help but this young man has skill and talent beyond his years. Perhaps it is because he comes from my neck of the woods that he has caught my eye previously but I really think he will go to the top in his chosen profession. He gave this horse as good a ride today as any jockey could have and gave the horse every chance even though it proved too much for him. This race adds another big race second to his second in The Grand National on Royal Auclair last April. He will have big race winners soon as second strings from big yards often lead to success, however it would be great to see him become the major jockey in a big race stable.

Third

Cornish Rebel

Cornish Rebel did well today given that he had a burden weight today carrying 11st 12lbs in this very sticky ground. He was the stables number one in this race and his class meant that he was at the top of the handicap. His best form has been on park type courses and the undulations here must also have acted against him. He is another who will be aimed at The Grand National or even another crack at the Scottish to try and improve on his second last season. Good class of horse who is sure to win more races.

Paul Nicholls

Trainer of first second and third.

Ruby Walsh

Ruby Walsh is an easy jockey to sum up, quite simply I believe he is the best national hunt jockey riding today anywhere. He has class, style and he reads a race very well. Of course all of these do-not result in a winner unless the horse is good enough. Today again he gave the horse a great ride and got him to the best position that was possible.

Fourth

Crystal D’Ainay

Crystal D’Ainay gave a good account of himself today. He looked to have too much weight for what he has achieved on the racecourse, in this class the weight he had to carry and the pace of the race was probably his undoing. However he ran with credit today and never gave up, we should remember that today only 7 of the 18 starters actually finished the race. Still only six years old and not many chases under his belt he should have improvement to come and looks as if he will be contesting the longer distance chases in the coming years.

Alan King

Robert Thornton

Robert Thornton is a very good horseman and gets plenty of good rides outside the main stable of Alan King. He is sought after quite rightly as he can get a good run from a mount and handles horses that he may not be immediately by familier with to run well for him. He gave Crystal D’Ainay a good ride today and always had him going well in mid-division but just found a few too good on the day.