Host of big-race options for Secret Reprieve after promising Welsh National run

Evan Williams is eager to make up for lost time in prestigious staying handicap chases with last year's Welsh Grand National winner Secret Reprieve following the unsuccessful defence of his Chepstow crown.

The eight-year-old had not been seen since securing Williams a famous victory in his country's race in the rescheduled 2020 version last January, but was beaten by 44 lengths in fifth behind Iwilldoit when sent off 6-1 favourite in the 2021 running last month.

However, the trainer was happy with his stable star's effort and believes it can lead to major targets towards the end of the campaign, with a next outing possible in the Sky Bet Chase at the end of the month.

Williams said: "There's no doubting when you look back at the race afterwards, he did move menacingly into it but he got tired. There's plenty of room for optimism.

Evan Williams: 'When you look back at the race afterwards, he did move menacingly into it.'Credit: Pool

"I wouldn't be surprised if he gets entries in all those good, big staying handicap chases. Doncaster definitely comes into consideration, Warwick [Classic Chase] won't suit him and that'll come too quickly. He could even get an entry in the Peter Marsh or even Cheltenham [Cotswold Chase] at the end of the month."

A tilt at the Grand National Trial at Haydock in February has already been pencilled in for Secret Reprieve and Williams hopes to make hay now conditions have become more typically testing.

He added: "A lot of our horses were so far behind, there's so many who haven't had their chance to get running as only now the ground is coming right. I think we can be competitive in decent races further down the line now.

"I'm not so worried now we've had the rain. Once you've had the run with the rain then you can slot them in when the ground is drier, but starting them out when it's quick is not a very wise thing to do. You don't want to make a mess of things with big boys like that.

"There's another good handicap chase in him and I hope that we can get him out again before the National Trial. We want to get him going sooner than that in an ideal world."

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