Christmas Special Welsh National winner advised @ 8/1

Similar to Synchronised (off 150 in 2010), Native River (155 in 2016) and Elegant Escape (151 in 2018), Haiti Couleurs (advised @ 8/1) produced a tremendous weight carrying performance to win the Welsh National at Chepstow on Saturday becoming the fourth home trained winner in the last seven years. Shouldering 11st 13lb with an official rating of 154, the former Irish National and Cheltenham Festival was bouncing back from a below par effort in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month. Rebecca Curtis and her team have done a fantastic job with the eight year old and he was given a superb ride by champion jockey Sean Bowen. Leaving the backstraight on the first circuit, his jockey elected to go to the front having raced keenly for much of the early stages. Sent for home jumping five out, he fought off the persistent challenge of Deafening Silence before finding extra on the run-in when tackled by the progressive O'Connell, who produced a career best in second. A three lengths winner, the Dragon Dancer gelding got his career firmly back on track and it is likely he will return to Graded staying chases next with the Cheltenham Gold Cup the ultimate goal. Good fresh, it is hoped he doesn't run between now and March because he endured a gruelling race here. Advised at 8/1 in the Christmas Special, it was an excellent result for subscribers - thank you very much to those clients who have emailed since, it is greatly appreciated.

There were plenty of other notable displays on Saturday including Mossy Fen Road who spreadeagled his ten opponents in the opening two miles novice hurdle. Successful on his hurdles debut at Lingfield last month, Harry Derham's charge defied his penalty with a devastating display of galloping and jumping. An eight and a half lengths winner, he will presumably tackle Graded company next. Indeed, his trainer was contemplating running the former pointer in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on Monday rather than heading to Chepstow. On this evidence, he won't look out of place in such company in future.

Dan Skelton sent out a couple of winners at Kempton with French import Maestro Conti setting the ball rolling in the introductory juvenile hurdle. A half-brother to stablemate and compatriot Live Conti, the Prince Gibraltar gelding had won emphatically at Moulins in September when handled by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm before being purchased by leading agent Anthony Bromley. Featured in the Christmas Special, he jumped soundly on his British bow and, despite being lit up by a couple of his rivals during the early stages, his class shone through after three out and he sauntered clear to win easily by nine and a half lengths. His trainer suggested afterwards that the Grade 2 juvenile at Cheltenham's Trial meeting (24th January) will be next. He looks a cracking prospect.

Later on the same card, Thistle Ask made it four out of four since being bought for 11,000gns in May when outclassing his six rivals in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase. Racing off a mark of 146 - thirty one pounds higher than when winning on his stable debut in late October - the Ask gelding jumped brilliantly and soon took the opposition out of their comfort zone. Given a 50 days break since winning the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at the beginning of November, he looked better than ever here and was good value for his ten lengths win. The Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot (17th January) will be next and the former James Ewart trained inmate shouldn't be underestimated. By the same sire as the King George winner The Jukebox Man, he is included in the Stable Switchers section in One Jump Ahead - that feature was unfortunate not to highlight a big race double with Talk The Talk falling at the last when all set to win the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.