Mome heads National field

2009 Grand National winner Mon Mome heads a maximum field of 20 runners declared for Monday's Welsh National at Chepstow.

But with the going at the Gwent course officially heavy, soft in places officials have called an 8am inspection on Monday morning.

The Venetia Williams trained nine-year-old caused a massive shock in April when, at 100-1, he equalled Foinavon's 1967 feat as the longest priced winner in 162 runnings of the race.

Mon Mome will be making his third attempt to clinch the Welsh version after finishing second behind Halcon Genelardais in 2006 and eighth in last year's renewal won by Notre Pere.

He has appeared just twice since his famous Aintree victory, pulling up four from home off a 13lb higher mark in last month's Hennessy and running a decent third in the Grade 2 Bristol Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on December 12.

Difficult

Williams is also represented by Robert Alner's 2007 winner Miko de Beauchene and Zacharova who, despite possessing both ability and stamina has proved difficult to handle and at 9-12lb is the only horse that runs from out of the handicap.

Halcon Genelardais, second and third respectively in the years following his 2006 victory, takes his fourth crack at the £57,000 prize for trainer Alan King, while Old Benny, fourth in last year's Scottish National, is the Wiltshire handler's other representative in the Grade 3 contest.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls saddles three runners, including last year's second Cornish Sett, who has struggled to find his form since that outing.

Nicholls' other runners are Nozic and the well-fancied The Tother One, who is vying for ante-post favouritism with the Richard Lee trained Le Beau Bai.

Nicholls' eight-year-old, who has won six and been placed in four of his 11 starts, will be partnered for the first time by 14-time champion jockey Tony McCoy.

Lee, meanwhile is pleased that conditions will be testing for his gelding, who has headed the betting market since trotting up by 21 lengths at the course three weeks ago.

"He amazed me a bit in his last race," said the North Herefordshire trainer of his charge who, at six, is the youngest in the race along with Zacharova.

"He's only a little horse and I thought he had too much weight that day. He's got less weight to carry tomorrow, but obviously it's a better race.

Competitive

"It has to be said that when you've got horses rated in the high 140s, there aren't that many opportunities for them.

"It looks like he'll have the ground in his favour, but it's a hell of a hot race and there are horses like last season's Grand National winner (Mon Mome) in it.

"In a contest like that you're not going to get a soft race. It doesn't happen in life now because there's lots of good prize money up for grabs.

"But I'm so lucky to have a horse good enough to even think of going there."

Elswhere the Sue Smith trained Coe has been threatening a return to the winner's enclousure and could make a bold bid to better his three-and-half-length second to Beat The Boys in last month's Rehearsal Chase.

And Flintoff will also be looking to improve on his Midlands National second, while Silver by Nature, ideally suited by the testing ground, could also make a strong show despite an increase of 13lbs since his commanding victory at Carlisle at the start of November.

Gone to Lunch and Kornati Kid, fifth and six respectively in the Hennessy, won in emphatic style by Denman last month, are also ones to watch in a highly competetive renewal of the Chepstow showpiece.