Last Updated on 09/12/2025 by Andy Clark
- William Hill’s horse racing tipster Steve Mulligan has given his predictions for the Welsh Grand National on their betting blog.
- How do the William Hill tips compare to our own Brian Healy’s prediction for the big race?
- See the Welsh National ante-post tips below..
With the festive racing period beginning to loom large, attention turns once again to one of the most demanding staying handicaps on the National Hunt calendar: the Coral Welsh Grand National, run over a punishing marathon trip at Chepstow.
Almost invariably given the season, the gruelling 3m 6f 136-yard trip is run in testing ground, and it is a race where stamina often wins the day.
That’s not to say that the race is usually won by slower horses that stay well; the Welsh Grand National has thrown up occasional future Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, and some top-class talent of the likes of Burrough Hill Lad, Cool Ground, Master Oats, Synchronised and Native River have all taken this prize en route to Cheltenham Festival glory later in their career.
Steve Mullington, writer for the William Hill ante-post blog, recently posted his thoughts on one of the Festive season’s biggest races. With interest in the ante-post market already building, several notable contenders are beginning to shape the early betting landscape.
Steve Mulligan’s Welsh Grand National Ante-post Tips for William Hill
In his preview, Steve picked out two ante-post picks for the race, and both look to hold solid claims if lining up.
Steve’s first selection, Rebecca Curtis’ HAITI COLEURS (10/1 with William Hill), ran too badly too be true in the recent Betfair Chase at Haydock last month, but the Dragon Dancer gelding can’t be discounted if returning to his form from last season, which saw him win the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and later add the Irish Grand National to his winning CV.
“He just had an off-day, I don’t think it was anything to do with it being a Graded race or a lack of ability. He ran at Newbury only two and a half weeks earlier, Sean didn’t hit him, and we thought he had an easy-ish race, but he obviously didn’t, and it’s taken a lot out of him.” explained Curtis following her stable star’s poor run. It is possible the run came too soon for him, given the relatively quick turnaround from his seasonal reappearance at Newbury, where he won over the smaller obstacles and with more time off between races, hopes remain high that he could bounce back with a better run this time around.
Mulligan also highlights the chances of MR VANGO (8/1 with William Hill), who like Haiti Coleurs, is vying for Welsh Grand National favouritism in the ante-post market and Sara Bradstock’s charge had been lined up for this race twelve months ago only to miss out as the stable felt the Ocovango gelding wasn’t quite right after winning the London National at Sandown and the decision was taken to reroute him to Classic Chase at Warwick.
That plan was scuppered by the weather, which wiped that fixture out entirely, so the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock became the next target, which he won by three lengths. Sadly for connections, that wasn’t enough to see him get into the Grand National at Aintree. However, he did win another big staying prize with the Midlands National at Uttoxeter to round off his campaign.
Those efforts underline his status as one of the most accomplished staying chasers currently in training, and his profile is perfectly aligned with the demands of a race of this nature.
Thatsagoal’s Brian Healy Gives his Welsh Grand National Tips
Mulligan has certainly picked out two solid chances for the Welsh Grand National. Haiti Coleurs has the class to go close if back to his best; he’s a proven stayer, jumps well and loves the mud, so it is difficult to ignore his profile as a likely type for this, especially if the ground turns testing.
Mr Vango, meanwhile, would be more of a risk given his run in the Becher Chase, but he’s another who would be difficult to pass over if taking his chance at Chepstow. The only worry would be – assuming he goes to Chepstow – whether he’d be fit enough on his seasonal return to see out what is surely going be a stamina-sapping contest although he did win the London National in heavy ground off the back of a similar layoff so he’s proven he can compete when fresh and like Haiti Coleurs he won’t mind a bit of mud flying around.
Both have plenty of weight, also with both horses featuring towards the top of the handicap, and only two winners since 2013 have carried more than 11st to victory – Native River and Nassalam, so that may be a negative for some should their respective big weights prove a burden late on in the race.
One who could have a decent shout if the ground doesn’t become too testing is Joe Tizzard’s ROCK MY WAY (10/1 with William Hill), who chased home Haiti Coleurs in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last term before posting a very solid fifth in the Scottish Grand National.
The Getaway gelding didn’t fire on his seasonal return at Cheltenham in October, finishing well-beaten behind Three Card Brag, although it later transpired he lost a shoe mid-race, which might have been a contributory factor to his below-par run. But he did show the benefit of that reappearance to run out an easy winner of the Berkshire National at Ascot last month, beating Lord Accord by eleven lengths. The handicapper has hit him for that win with a 9lbs rise, but he could still have more to offer, having had wind surgery in the off-season.
His winning chase form has come on better ground than may be the case at Chepstow, but he has won on soft ground over hurdles, and he has made the frame twice over fences on soft and heavy ground, so he should handle the likely testing ground come race-day, although he’ll be more appreciative of a quicker surface.
Boasting one of the highest Racing Post Ratings amongst the race entries for the Welsh Grand National, a solid case can be made for the seven-year-old who could give backers a big run for their cash.
Welsh Grand National Ante-post Tips 2026
| Steve Mulligan’s Tips | Thatagoal’s Tips |
|---|---|
| Mr Vango (10/1) | Rock My Way (10/1) |
| Haiti Coleurs (8/1) |
All the odds are correct at the time of writing, and if you need a William Hill account, you can use their sign-up offer to get £40 in free bets when you open an account and bet £10 on today’s horse racing using the offer link below.
