The Welsh Grand National is the largest race held in Wales and is popular with UK and Irish horse racing fans. The popular race is run at the Chepstow Racecourse. The Welsh Grand National is now traditionally held one day after Boxing Day, December 27th.
Wales’ most famous race has a long and storied history. The race was first run at Ely Racecourse in Cardiff. After World War II, it was moved to Caerleon before moving to Chepstow in 1949 after the closure of the Caerleon course. The Welsh Grand National is one of the most competitive betting heats of the National Hunt season and was originally run on Easter Tuesday. It has been sponsored by bookmakers Coral since 1973 and now holds the prestige as being the longest running sponsorship in jump racing.
The Welsh Grand National is one of the most popular riding heats for horse race enthusiasts all over Europe. For many, finding a winner in the Welsh Grand National win would complete an amazing day.
The Welsh Grand National is run over the tough Welsh fences, with a distance of 3 miles (5 km). The Welsh Grand National fence height starts at 4 feet 6 inches and go up to 4 feet 9 inches. There are thirty Welsh Grand National fences to jump in total, which is quite a challenge for horses and jockeys. The winner often goes on to compete in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and in recent years we’ve seen horses like Native River complete the double. Bindaree and Silver Birch have also managed to win the English & Welsh races respectively.
Tips for betting on the Welsh Grand National
We have compiled a list of tips if you plan to have a flutter on the Welsh Grand National.
Do your research:
Before parting with your hard-earned pounds, it’s very important to understand the A to Z of horse racing betting. There are several websites that teach sound practice when it comes to betting, and are handy resources e.g. Bet Types.
Betting on the outcome of horse races can be exciting and profitable when you know what to expect and how to make selections; it isn’t necessarily complicated. You typically just bet, get your ticket, and tear it up when it doesn’t pay off. If you’re lucky or skilled enough, you can take your ticket back to the window and collect your winnings.
In horse racing betting, there are plenty of betting tools available that can make the task of selecting a winner much easier. Some of these include:
- Racetrack program (It has information on all the horses, jockeys, trainers and owners.)
- The Daily Racing Form (This resource provides the past performances of all the horses running on a specific day’s program as well as informative horse racing articles and handicapping by DRF staff.)
- Public handicapper selections
- Handicapping tip sheets (These are choices published by horseback handicapping experts at the racetrack.)
- An online calculator to weigh up your bets
Find a good welsh bookie:
The goal of a bookie is to balance the books by adjusting the odds so that there are equal amounts of people betting on a win or loss. Bookies determine their odds by assessing the likelihood of winning an event. They sometimes use statistical information from teams or complex models, or rely on actuarial projections from people who help to manage risk.
Numerous betting companies occupy the race betting niche, and customers are always changing their minds about which site they want to use. The market is highly competitive ensuring that customers are typically looked after with good value prices.
When selecting a bookmaker, consider:
- Their license and place of operation
- The products that they offer
- The odds they provide
Gamble responsibly:
Horse racing wagering is a form of online betting and is not appropriate for everyone.
For inexperienced betters, finding success can be challenging. However, with research, and knowledge, you can limit your losses and minimize your risk. You should always gamble responsibly:
- Never bet for the sake of it
- Avoid emotional decisions
- Learn from your mistakes
- Don’t get hung up on insider tips and peer pressure
- Be aware of exotic wagers
- Weigh risk vs reward
Your success in horse betting is contingent on your ability to identify a winning horse, placing the right bet and doing so responsibly. Detailed knowledge of online betting is a must if you plan to bet regularly. On the other hand, if you only bet once a year and it’s on the Welsh Grand National, make sure that it’s an amount that you are comfortable losing.
