CROWDS are set to return to watch Wales’ biggest horse race this Christmas for the first time in three years.

Some 12,000 spectators are expected at Chepstow Racecourse a week on Tuesday (December 27) for the 83-year-old £150,000 Coral Welsh Grand National.

Wye Valley Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Royale Pagaille heads the 58 entries, alongside last year’s Welsh winner Iwilldoit.

The 2021 race was held behind closed doors despite 7,000 advanced ticket sales, after the Welsh Government imposed a ban on crowds in the wake of the Omicron Covid surge.

But there are no such fears this time as racegoers gear up for a festive treat.

Iwilldoit’s triumph last time was the third home win for a Welsh horse in three years, following a 54-year wait for one before Potters Corner in 2019 followed by Secret Reprieve the previous race.

Royale Pagaille, the star of Venetia Williams’ stable near Ross-on-Wye, was fifth in this year’s Gold Cup, only inches away from finishing third and could be the horse to beat.

Twelve times champion trainer Paul Nicholls has five entries including the last two winners Secret Reprieve and Iwilldoit - who was ridden to victory by Monmouthshire jockey Sam Thomas.

Vale of Glamorgan trainer Tim Vaughan has also entered Eva’s Oskar who ran well to finish second at Cheltenham recently.

This year’s race is being run in the memory of the late Kim Gingell, so it would be fitting if her brother Joe Tizzard, who has four entries, trained the winner.

There are also ten entries from Ireland, whose runners in handicaps have to be respected.

Gordon Elliot has three of them with Willie Mullins and Peter Fahey also represented.

Racecourse chief executive Phil Bell said: “It’s our biggest race day of the year at Chepstow, and will be the first time that spectators have been able to attend since 2019 due to Covid restrictions. It’s a special renewal because it’s 50 years since Corals started sponsoring the event. It’s one of the longest commercial partnerships in sport

“When Corals supported the race for the first time on February 17 1973, little did they know that they would still be supporting it half a century later.

“In that period the roll of honour has produced winners of six Aintree Grand Nationals and four Cheltenham Gold Cup winners.

“Over the years, there have been some wonderful stories created by this prestigious race including a win for Corbiere in 1982 for Jenny Pitman, the first success in the race for a female trainer.

“She also won took the prize with Burrough Hill Lad (1983) and Stearsby (1986).”

The 2009 running was the pinnacle of a rags-to-riches story so incredible that it was made into two films.

A group of villagers who met in the working men’s club in the Welsh Valleys formed a syndicate to buy a racehorse for £300 on him and called him Dream Alliance.

Their dreams came true, as he won £138,000 in prize money including the Welsh National, which was turned into the recent hit film Dream Horse.

The gates for this year’s Coral Welsh Grand National open at 10am on Tuesday December 27, with the first race off at 12.30pm.

All the information is at www.chepstow-racecourse.co.uk