Welsh racing fans had been waiting for 54 years to welcome one of their own back to the winner’s enclosure after the Welsh Grand National but all the reels aligned as they finally hit the jackpot on Friday when Potters Corner, an 8-1 shot, stayed on strongly up the home straight to claim the country’s most famous and valuable race.
The horse is trained by Christian Williams on his family farm in Glamorgan and was ridden to victory by Jack Tudor, a teenager from Bridgend. He is even part-owned by a member of the Welsh sporting aristocracy in the shape of the rugby international Jonathan Davies, part of the Grand Slam-winning team earlier this year.
Potters Corner completed what was a relatively straightforward success in one of the season’s most gruelling events under an accomplished ride by Tudor, a 7lb claimer. Tudor was well positioned from the off within touch of the leaders and perfectly placed to exploit Potters Corner’s stamina on the run for home after the final turn. He was in front three out and held off his final challenger, Truckers Lodge, by a length-and-three-quarters.
“When you’re Welsh, to win a Welsh National is one of the things you look forward to when you’re a kid and when it comes true it’s brilliant,” Tudor said. “Christian has been massive for me. To stick with me for today just proves how good he is to me. He winged the first and we had a lovely position. From there he got a nice lead off the two in front. He got into a rhythm and jumped great. He was different class.”
Williams, whose own career in the saddle was cut short by injury, said that Tudor “gave him the ride I thought he would‚” adding: “It’s no surprise to me the ride he gave the horse. He relishes the soft conditions, so it was brilliant. We’ve got a good horse advertising us now on the big days.”
Davies paid tribute to both trainer and jockey, saying: “To be involved and win the Midlands National earlier in the year and this today is just fantastic. All credit to Christian, he’s been absolutely outstanding and done and unbelievable job with him, and Jack, on this pretty hard day for racing, was fantastic. He gave him a confident ride and he’s definitely one for the future.”
At Leopardstown, Rachael Blackmore added to her growing list of Grade One victories for the second day running as A Plus Tard beat the odds-on favourite, Chacun Pour Soi, in the afternoon’s feature event.
Chacun Pour Soi went to post as the favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March having beaten Defi Du Seuil, this season’s Tingle Creek Chase winner, with some ease at Punchestown in March.
He travelled well on his return to action but Blackmore was stalking him throughout on A Plus Tard and Paul Townend’s mount could not muster a response as the winner took his measure inside the final furlong.
Bookmakers reacted by extending his price for the Champion Chase to 6-1 (from 4-1 overnight), while A Plus Tard is now top-priced at 8-1 (from 33-1).
Gordon Elliott underlined his iron grip on the two-mile novice hurdling division when Abacadabras survived a mistake three out to register an easy win in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Abacadabras was the runner-up to his stable companion, Envoi Allen, in a Grade One at Fairyhouse last time out and the two horses are now ante-post favourites for the Supreme Novice Hurdle and Ballymore Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham respectively.
“Cheltenham is a long way away,” Elliott said. “Envoi Allen will be entered in everything [but] I’d say the Ballymore probably looks the race made for him. But we’ll go to Naas [for the Lawlors Novice Hurdle on 5 January] and see how we get on, one step at a time.”
