THE crowds returned to the Welsh Coral Grand National for the first time in three years, with South Wales jockey David Prichard delivering them another festive home triumph on a wet and muddy Chepstow track.

The Two Amigos made most of the running to claim victory after second in 2020, literally showing the field a clean pair of heels by frontrunning and avoiding the worst of the mud kicked up by the horses’ hooves.

Some riders and their mounts were covered head to foot the going was so heavy, but conditional jockey Prichard, a “proud Welshman” who grew up near Cardiff, kept his nerve to land the biggest win of his career to date on the 16-1 shot.

Welsh-trained horses had won the previous three Nationals – Potters Corner in 2019, Secret Reprieve in 2020 and Iwilldoit last time, trained by Gold Cup-winning Abergavenny jockey Sam Thomas – with the last two races held behind closed doors.

This time, a year after trainer Nicky Martin had forgotten to enter The Two Amigos in the 2021 race, the winner hailed from Somerset. But jockey Prichard, 31, supplied the Welsh connection in front of more than 10,000 racegoers, outsprinting Joe Tizzard’s The Big Breakway by 1 1/4L to win the £85,000 first prize in the £150,000 race, sponsored for the 50th year by Coral.

Ireland’s The Big Dog was back in third and Truckers Lodge in fourth, ridden by the late Kim Gingell’s 16-year-old son Freddie, whom Wales’ biggest race was held in memory of.

But Wye Valley pre-race favourite Quick Wave from Venetia Williams’ yard near Ross struggled in the conditions and was pulled up with five to jump.

Prichard, who literally starved himself on Boxing Day, said after dismounting the lightweight winner: “Obviously it is the biggest win of my career so far.

“We only just got in, we did not think we were going to get in to be honest and even worse I thought I was going to have 10 stone 2, a couple of days after Christmas, but luckily the weights went up.

“It’s a hard game for a young man, not getting many opportunities and not having much to eat.

“It fries your brain, but now I’m older and maybe a bit wiser.

“I’ve never had a day like this. I don’t know when it will sink in and it’s been a struggle to get here.

“Some jockeys are lucky to ride plenty of big winners, but I didn’t think I’d ever get an opportunity like this.”

On The Two Amigos, he added: “He is ultra-consistent. He chucked in a few bad runs, but that was mainly because the yard was not in great form last year, but Nicky has got them all firing this year.

“We thought we were coming in with a real chance, especially with the ground getting softer by the minute and on such a featherweight, it was just brilliant…

“We were praying for more rain and, luckily, it kept raining, while the race went perfectly…

“I got a good start and then I didn’t see anyone else which I was thankful of, his jumping was so good.

“I am a proud Welshman, to win our own national is absolutely incredible.

“My mum and dad are from near Pontypridd, it is a big day.

“I’d say the celebrations will be quite big. I didn’t lean on the food and drink over Christmas, so I may have to get to the pub tonight.”

And thanking the trainer, who couldn’t attend the race owing to illness, he added: “I must thank Nicky Martin and her partner John who give me a lot of opportunities, I’m just glad I can pay them back with a win like this.”