Will the Welsh Grand National Winner stand a chance at the Grand National?
On the 27th of December, ‘Iwilldoit’ was crowned winner of the Welsh Grand National. The 8-year-old horse has been off to a flying start in its four chase participations, winning three of them. With the Grand National taking place in April, it might be too early for the horse to go up against some of the best horses in the world. Maybe it is worth the risk, let’s look at what it takes to become a Grand National winner.
Age
This is not the age of the jockey, but the age of the horse. 19 out of the last 20 winners of the Grand National has been between the age of 8 and 11 years old. So, it is almost certain that the winner should be found within this age group. Iwilldoit will turn nine this march, which means that it is within the age group. This talks in favour of the horse. You can find the best horse racing tips here. These tips will come in handy when picking a winner for the Grand National or any other horse racing event.
Look at the weight
To even out the playing field big favourites for the race will get a handicap. This means that the horse will need to carry extra weight. This is determined in February, which means that no matter how the horse place in the last months leading up to the race, it won’t have any effect on the handicap. Usually, it is not advised to bet on horses that carries too much weight, as it heavily affects them when doing jumps. Iwilldoit has not competed in many races and therefore had the minimum weight of 10lbs when it won the Welsh Grand National. Due to its inexperience, it is not likely that the horse will carry a lot of weight if it competes, which talks in favour of the horse.
Experience
Jumping the Aintree fences in Liverpool is completely different compared to the ones at the Welsh Grand National. The fences are higher and the jumping ability of Iwilldoit is still an uncertain factor. This means that the horse has never needed to clear any obstacles in this category before. The Horses trainer Sam Thomas is also uncertain whether the horse is ready for the big challenge. With only four steeplechase runs to its name, a little bit more experience in general might be a good idea, so they can come back even stronger next year.
Form
Looking at Iwilldoit’s current form it looks good. Winning its last two races and winning three of its fours steeplechase races is quite an accomplishment. Still, it’s career has been rather short so far, which makes it hard to make any predictions. 2022 will be the year where it suits up for event more races. Therefore, you should keep an eye on its performances and if it pulls up, falls or unseat the jockey. If you can’t wait for the Grand National to start in April, the Pegasus World Cup is held on the 29th of January, where essential quality is one of the favourites.
Many races are yet to come this year, and we can’t wait to see how the Welsh Grand National winner will be performing.