The Coral Welsh National is the highlight of the racing calendar at Chepstow and one of the most important and prestigious handicaps in the sport and this year takes place on a seven-race card on Thursday 27 December 2012. This competitive field races over three miles and five furlongs and jumps over 22 fences for prize money worth £90,000. This year's renewal marks the 40th year of Coral's sponsorship of this famous staying prize and will be the last to be shown on the BBC.

Simon Clare of Coral spoke to The Racing Horse and there was great news:

Coral spokesman Simon Clare was once again excited about this year’s race. He told The Racing Horse exclusively: Our sponsorship is the second longest in the sport and this race is part of Coral’s heritage. We are about to complete 40 years of sponsorship and will sit down with Chepstow Racecourse shortly to negotiate a deal for the next 10 years and celebrate our 50^th anniversary together in 2022. We will have a deal with them – you can tell your readers that is assured!" Furthermore, he said: "We have more betting shops in Wales than any other bookmaker and we want to increase our commitment to the Welsh National Hunt racing scene. Coral used to sponsor the Welsh National alone but for the past four years we sponsor the card, that will continue. On a personal note I love the race and will be there again for the 15^th successive visit." He also reminded The Racing Horse that the current favourite for the race Teaforthree is owned by John O’Reilly who is a Coral director that looks after the online side of the business.

The left-handed course is almost two miles in circumference and is relatively sharp, the back and home straight are similar in that they are both long and strength sapping, as well as being very undulating.

Entries for this year's race include the Welsh trained and current favourite Teaforthree, Michel Le Bon from Paul Nicholls yard and recent Cheltenham winner Monbeg Dude. Viking Blond who was pulled up in this race 12 months ago but looks a prospect this year. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained seven-year-old is expected to show better this year. Sam Twiston-Davies (pictured) told us: "He's absolutely buzzing and Nigel is actually training him quite well. He's getting him mad fresh and has had this race in mind for a long time. It seems to suit him round there. He's won at Chepstow, he loves heavy ground, the trip will be ideal and we know how to ride him now - just get him out in front, just go as steady as we can and try to keep up a gallop he can maintain."

Le Beau Bai is out!

It is a shame but last year’s winner will not make the line-up. Le Beau Bai suffered a high hind limb injury when going about some routine training. Richard Lee told us: "Le Beau Bai suffered the injury during a routine piece of work this morning and will not run. We will know the full extent in the next few days but wanted to get the information out for the public with the ante-post implications. It’s a hell of a blow."

Prerequisites

Over the last eight years the winner has been aged six, seven or eight and in the last 15 years no horse apart from Gold Cup winner Synchronised has carried more than 11stone. Have winning course form is crucial for this race and it is always testing in the extreme here at this time of year so sound jumping and a genuine staying prowess are two key requisites.

The Racing Horse believes the winner might be the favourite Teaforthree (pictured above), trained by Rebecca Curtis. This horse meets the all the above criteria and gave the West Wales trainer her first Cheltenham Festival winner last March when landing the National Hunt Chase and has winning form at Chepstow’s Piercefield Park Racecourse. If he were to win Wales’ most famous horse race he would be the first horse actually trained in Wales to have won since Norther, partnered by Terry Biddlecombe in 1965. Curtis (32), whose first job in horse racing was with Pembrokeshire’s Peter Bowen and who later spent some time in the USA learning her trade, saddled her first winner at Chepstow with Mango Catcher in 2008.

Latest prices from Coral:

Latest prices from Coral include: 4 Teaforthree 8 Viking Blond 10 Michel Le Bon, Giles Cross, Quartz De Thaix 12 Monbeg Dude, Sona Sasta, Alfie Spinner 14 Roalco De Farges, Hold On Julio, Raz De Maree 16 Bradley, Hey Big Spender, Across The Bay, Universal Soldier, Soll 20 Becauseicouldnotsee, Cool Operator, Harouet, Cannington Brook, Royal Charm, Lie Forrit 25 Cappa Bleu, Wyck Hill, Major Malarkey, Uncle Junior, Jadanli, Any Currency 33 Bar.

The BBC will be covering this meeting, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pk2vr

The card also features the Coral Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle with prize money of £29,500 and the bet On Your Mobile Now At Coral.co.uk Handicap Chase worth £25,000.

Clare Balding will be signing copies of her best seller My Animals and Other Family. The timings and location will be announced nearer the time. Tickets in advance start from just £20 and children aged 15 and under go free of charge. Parking is free. The gates open at 10am and the first race is off at 12.30pm. The first race is timed for 12.30pm and the last at 3.50pm.

Contact: Chepstow Racecourse, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6BE

Tel: 01291 622260/Fax: 01291 627061

There a many ways of arriving at Chepstow whether arriving by Road, Rail or Air. By road you can get to Chepstow Racecourse on the A466 Chepstow to Monmouth road, not far from the Severn Bridge. From the M4 East (Junction 21) or M4 West (Junction 23), take the M48 and exit at Junction 2 (Chepstow).

By bus there is always a Race day Bus service which operates on Saturday, evening and Bank Holiday meetings and by rail the Chepstow railway station is in easy reach of the course which is just 1½ miles from the Racecourse. There are direct services which operate from Gloucester and Cardiff, from London via Newport, and Bristol via Severn Tunnel Junction. Bristol Parkway is a 20 minute drive away.

For all the latest news from Chepstow Racecourse please visit: http://www.chepstow-racecourse.co.uk/about-us/news.php