Chepstow Tips: Atlanta Brave a player in the Welsh National

It's Welsh Grand National Day at Chepstow on Friday afternoon and we've got three selections on the card, including one in the big race itself.

It's a seven-race card at Chepstow, with action from 12:00-15:25 and the main event due off at 14:50. Ground conditions are forecast to be 'soft-good to soft in places'. Read on for my Chepstow tips for Friday, December 27.

13:05 – Nocte Volatus @ 11/4

Just shy of two-and-a-half-miles is the trip in store for these eight runners and NOCTE VOLATUS looks well placed for Tom Lacey and Stan Sheppard. He's a nine-year-old but doesn't have major miles on the clock and is in great form.

He won at Uttoxeter (2m5f, soft) in May and returned from 195 days off to follow up at this track over C&D in late October, gamely sticking on to score in a race that has produced four next-time-out winners.

Nocte Volatus meanwhile was second-best at Ascot (2m5f, good) last month behind front-running winner Gemirande, form that looks good in the wake of that rival bagging the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Venetia Williams.

Exeter winner Lowry's Bar is a rival of substance but the selection runs off an unchanged mark here and could take some halting.

13:40 – Hot Fuss @ 6/1

The Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle has attracted nine runners, with the likes of Nietzsche Has and Opec likely to prove popular in the betting.

The former has some decent form over timber in France and is interesting on British bow, while Opec is 3-3 over hurdles since a fall on debut in this sphere in June. James Owen's charge readily won in Listed company at Newbury last time and isn't overlooked in haste.

HOT FUSS is the alternative for Tom Dascombe with Harry Skelton booked to partner the son of Calyx.

He had no answer to East India Dock when second on hurdles bow at Wincanton in October but that rival is now a leading Triumph Hurdle contender after his subsequent Cheltenham win in wide-margin style.

Hot Fuss justified cramped odds at Sandown (2m, soft-to-heavy) at the start of this month and is open to more progress now.

14:50 – Atlanta Brave @ 18/1

Lots of chances in a wide open Welsh National and perhaps one under the radar could be ATLANTA BRAVE off a mark of 123 for trainer Kerry Lee.

He won his maiden hurdle here on soft ground in January 2023 on his only course start and he remains lightly-raced over fences.

His best run last season over fences saw him finishing second at Newbury (3m2f, soft) between Christmas and New Year, coming clear with Surrey Quest with that rival advertising the form subsequently.

He was pulled up on his comeback at Cheltenham in October but has run well since in a decent Uttoxeter novice heat after making the running.

He's been eased 2lb and sports first-time cheekpieces here and if taking to this stamina test, he can have a leading say at decent odds.

This is an Extra Place race meaning that Betfred are paying 5 Places instead of 4 for each-way bets at 1/5 odds.

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