Coral Welsh National
Handicap Chase, Chepstow Grade 3, £100,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 5f 110y, Class 1
Saturday 28th December 2013

1 Mountainous 20/1
2 Hawkes Point 14/1
3 Tidal Bay 10/1
4 One In A Milan 50/1
5 Merry King 9/1
20 ran Distances: hd, ½l, 7l
TIME 7m 54.90s (slow by 29.90s)

Mountainous beat Hawkes Point and crowd favourite Tidal Bay in a tight three-way finish to win the Welsh National.

Mountainous
© Racehorse Photos

The 20-1 top weight, ridden by Paul Moloney and trained by Richard Lee, held off the challenges of 14-1 shot Hawkes Point and 12-year-old Tidal Bay, who went off at 10-1.

Highland Lodge, the 13-2 favourite, led for the majority of the race but faded on Chepstow's heavy ground.One in a Milan (50-1) was fourth, while Merry King was fifth (9-1).

"I couldn't believe how well he was going and then Paul gave him a breather and he just ran to the finish," Lee told Channel Four Racing.

"He's such a nice horse, I said when we brought him in as a five-year-old he was going to be a Welsh National winner one day."

Tidal Bay
© Racehorse Photos

Mountainous did not have it his own way going over the last two fences as the Paul Nicholls-trained Tidal Bay - who won Sandown's bet365 Gold Cup in 2012 and proved he could mix it with the best when he won the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas - came up the outside to force a late charge.

Going over the last it was Hawkes Bay who led, but one final push from Moloney saw Mountainous cross the line a length clear.

The winning horse's owner James Potter said: "I'm chuffed to bits, we're Welsh and it's brilliant to win the Welsh Grand National. It's an unbelievable day for us.

"Just the stamina he has, it's just been a brilliant day. I'm absolutely speechless."

Dai Walters, chairman of Ffos Las racecourse and co-owner of Mountainous, said: "We won the Welsh Champion Hurdle (with Oscar Whisky). That was fantastic, and it's brilliant to win the Welsh Grand National."

Asked about whether Mountainous would go for the Crabbies Grand National at Aintree, he added: "We'll have to see how the horse is in the morning and talk in a week's time."

Coral Welsh National (Handicap Chase) (Grade 3)
£100,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 5f 110y, Class 1
20 ran
Going: Heavy

	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	SP Distance
1	Mountainous R Lee	Paul Moloney 10st 0lbs	20 - 1 Winner
2	Hawkes Point P F Nicholls	Ryan Mahon 10st 0lbs	14 - 1 Head
3	Tidal Bay P F Nicholls	D A Jacob 11st 12lbs	10 - 1 1/2 length
4	One In A Milan Evan Williams	Conor Ring 10st 0lbs	50 - 1 7 lengths
5	Merry King Jonjo O'Neill	R P McLernon 10st 3lbs	9 - 1 3 3/4 lengths
6	Vintage Star Mrs S J Smith	Ryan Mania 10st 0lbs	10 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
7	Amigo D Pipe	C O'Farrell 10st 0lbs	20 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
8	Goonyella J T R Dreaper	A E Lynch 10st 1lbs	8 - 1 1 1/4 length
9	Teaforthree Miss R Curtis	Patrick Corbett 11st 2lbs	14 - 1 8 lengths
PU	Hey Big Spender C L Tizzard	J Tizzard 10st 7lbs	20 - 1
PU	Highland Lodge Miss E C Lavelle	L Aspell 10st 6lbs	13 - 2
PU	Goulanes D Pipe	T Scudamore 10st 6lbs	20 - 1
PU	Wyck Hill D G Bridgwater	T J O'Brien 10st 3lbs	22 - 1
PU	Well Refreshed G L Moore	Joshua Moore 10st 2lbs	10 - 1
PU	Knock A Hand R Lee	R Johnson 10st 0lbs	16 - 1
PU	Chartreux T R George	P J Brennan 10st 0lbs	66 - 1
PU	Tour Des Champs N A Twiston-Davies	Sam Twiston-Davies 10st 0lbs	14 - 1
PU	Ace High D Pipe	Kieron Edgar 10st 0lbs	14 - 1
PU	Red Rocco N A Twiston-Davies	Adam Wedge 10st 0lbs	25 - 1
PU	Harouet P Bowen	J E Moore 10st 0lbs	100 - 1