A hugely competitive field will line up for the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park on Saturday 15th February, 2025 and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers is here to delve through the formbook and pick out his 1-2-3 for the staying marathon.
ROYALE PAGAILLE
(Sean Bowen/Venetia Williams)
With two Peter Marsh Chase wins and a Betfair Chase win on his CV, Royale Pagaille has become a horse synonymous with Haydock Park and the Venetia Williams-trained 11-year-old will look to taste more success at the Lancashire track on Saturday and will have top weight in the Grand National Trial. Looking to use this race as a springboard to the Grand National in April, Royale Pagaille will want to bounce back from a poor showing here last time in the Peter Marsh, but if he’s on a going day then he will take all the beating, as he’s by far the best horse in this contest and is the one to beat.
JUBILEE EXPRESS
(Dylan Johnston/Sam Thomas)
Down the other end of the handicap is Jubilee Express for Sam Thomas and Dylan Johnston and this eight-year-old was last seen chasing home Val Dancer in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in late December. A winner at Haydock Park the start before that, he looks to be a hugely progressive staying handicap chaser after that fine run in the Welsh National last time out and he could be more than capable of carrying a featherweight to victory here. However, he is 8lbs out of the handicap, so it’s going to be tough.
VAL DANCER
(Charlie Hammond/Mel Rowley)
Another on a rapid incline is the Welsh National hero Val Dancer, who stormed to a one-and-a-half length victory in the fog at Chepstow. Given a 5lbs rise for a win at Carlisle, Mel Rowley’s eight-year-old is another that continues to improve for these extreme 3m+ trips and he was an excellent winner over the Christmas period. He’s been given a 6lbs rise by the handicapper for that success, which is more than fair, but the jury is out on whether he can frank that form with Jubilee Express, who was staying on in the closing stages of that contest and he’s another out of the handicap.
REST OF THE FIELD
A winner of this race 12 months ago off a mark of 133, Yeah Man is looking to emulate Silver By Nature by winning back-to-back renewals, but Gavin Cromwell’s charge will take his chance off 144 on Saturday. However, with Royale Pagaille lining up then he will carry a nice racing weight, so has to be considered and he excels over these sort of energy-sapping trips. Jamie Snowden’s Git Maker failed to figure at Windsor on his first start of the season, but he showed when third in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr that he’s a decent stayer, while Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux is another that warrants respect here, but she may have stamina doubts. Famous Bridge and Apple Away are another classy pair taking their chance, but they may just lack the class to feature prominently.
VERDICT
If an on-song ROYALE PAGAILLE turns up then the Venetia Williams-trained raider can grind his rivals into submission, as he’s a real cut above. Top weight will give him a gargantuan task, but he’s shown he revels at Haydock Park and he can get the better of Jubilee Express, who can reverse the Welsh National form with Val Dancer, while Yeah Man can stay on for third.
2025 Grand National Trial Predicted 1-2-3
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