ALTHOUGH the weather is playing havoc with this afternoon’s action I am hopeful we will see my Coral Welsh Grand National hope land this weekend’s big contest at 3.10. The market is made for us by the Evan Williams-trained lightweight Secret Reprieve, but it is the equally unexposed DOMINATEUR that fits the nap bill.

Trainer Oliver Sherwood has long had this deep marathon event as a target for him ever since he ran two solid races last December over a distance a shade short of three miles, on both occasions handling the deep conditions really well.

His one run this season came on unsuitably fast ground at Sandown Park in the Future Stars Intermediate Chase, when over three miles he was predictably outpaced by Pym and If The Caps Fits.