Halcon Tops National Contenders Last year's winner Halcon Genelardais heads a field of 32 left in the Coral Welsh National at the confirmation stage.Alan King's stayer will have to shoulder top weight of 11st 11lb in Thursday's marathon at Chepstow compared to the 11st 3lb he carried to victory 12 months ago.Opposing him in the handicap chase over three miles, five and a half furlongs, for which the maximum field is 20, could be Nicky Henderson's Juveigneur, who was third last year.L'Aventure, the winner in 2005, is one of four possibles from the Paul Nicholls team. The champion trainer has also left in the well-fancied Gungadu plus Cornish Sett and Geeveem.David Pipe has the biggest string numerically with a team of five ? Dom d'Orgeval, Comply Or Die, Not Left Yet, Over The Creek and Kilty Storm.Venetia Williams, who saddled last year's runner-up Mon Mome can choose from Fair Question and Flintoff while Nigel Twiston-Davies has Naunton Brook and Baron Windrush and Philip Hobbs is double-handed with Dream Alliance and Parsons Legacy.Ante-post favourite Miko de Beauchene, trained by Robert Alner, has stood his ground while other interesting entries include Victor Dartnall's Sir Rembrandt, runner-up in 2003 and a faller in 2005, and the Ron Hodges-trained Preacher Boy.Homer Wells, trained by Willie Mullins, and Royal Man, from Charlie Swan's stable, are the two remaining Irish possibles.(C) PA Sport
