Wales' Grand National hopes

Fourth in last years Grand National; Cappa Bleu was second at Aintree on Friday. His success is moving in the right direction, but will there be another chance for the Evan Williams trained horse?

Nicola Hendy reports.

The Welsh horse who came second in yesterday's Grand National has been welcomed back to the Vale of Glamorgan.

Cappa Bleu put on an impressive display in the race finishing for the second time in the top five.

His trainer, Evan Williams, said that coming in second place 'means the world' to the team.

Cappa Bleu, trained in the Vale of Glamorgan, was welcomed home after finishing second place in the Grand National yesterday.

Tee for Three, stabled in Newport in Pembrokeshire, came third.

The race was won by 66/1 runner Auroras Encore.

Cappa Bleu, trained in the Vale of Glamorgan, managed to finish in second place in the Grand National behind 66 to 1 runner, Auroras Encore.

Tee for Three stabled in Newport in Pembrokeshire came in third.

Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis says her 14/1 runner in Saturday's Grand National, Tea For Three, won't have any trouble at Aintree.

The nine-year-old gelding will start as many people's fancy for the showpiece of the jump racing calendar after an impressive showing at the Welsh National in January, in which he was edged into second place by Monbeg Dude.

Curtis is one of four Welsh trainers hoping to come away from Aintree with their biggest win to date. That is no more true than Cowbridge trainer Evan Williams who's apparent knack over the four and a half mile course could again see him at the front of the field with 11/1 shot Cappa Bleu.

The 11 year old finished fourth in last years race behind 33-1 outsider Neptune Collange and an impressive 2013 means he could well give Evans his greatest chance of a win to date, after four straight years of having runners placed.

Cappa Bleu and Tea For Three look to be the most likely local horses to figure at the business end of the race but two other Welsh trainers have hopes that their runners can offer up another Aintree fairytale from further down the bookies prices.

Haverfordwest based Peter Bowen has two of his stable making their way to Aintree: Always Waining and Mumbles Head will start as long shots though with early prices seeing them as far out as 40/1 and 66/1 respectively.

Tim Vaughn will round off the Welsh entries in the 2013 Grand National, which this year sees significant changes to the make up of the course following the deaths of two horses last year at the notorious Beacher's Brook.

His only runner Saints is seen by many as a long shot though with some bookies have the seven-year-old at 50/1.