Rock My Way arrives at Chepstow for the 2025 Coral Welsh Grand National as the sort of horse punters like to keep on side: progressive, battle-hardened and in form.
His profile is not as straightforward as a typical long-distance grinder, but that is part of the appeal.
He has gears, he has stamina, and he comes here on the back of an 11‑length demolition job over an extended 3m5f at Ascot that suggested a big staying prize is well within reach.
A Staying Chaser On The Up
Rock My Way is a seven‑year‑old by Getaway out of Far Rock, a pedigree that mixes stamina and toughness with a handy bit of athleticism.
His overall jumps record of 11 runs, two wins and six placed efforts shows a horse who has rarely been out of the thick of things, especially since connections have committed to longer trips over fences.
The bare figures – particularly his best rating, and now hitting 140 – hint at plenty more to come as he matures physically and mentally.
His early chasing career was shaped around novice handicaps at tracks such as Hereford, Plumpton and Newbury, where he gradually learned his job over 2m5f to just shy of three miles.
Those runs, including several placed efforts behind useful types, built a foundation without overly taxing him.
Nothing in that phase shouted “future Welsh National horse” on its own, but the way he kept finding at the end of his races made a step up in distance feel inevitable rather than speculative.
The more serious staying picture began to emerge when he moved into marathon territory. A tidy novice handicap chase win at Doncaster over 3m, gave a first glimpse of his ability to combine jumping efficiency with a strong finish.
As the distances increased and the races got deeper, Rock My Way started to look less like a work in progress and more like a stayer with a big handicap in him.
From Cheltenham and Ayr to Ascot
If there is a single run that rubber-stamped Rock My Way as a Welsh National candidate, it is his second in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in March, over 3m6f on good to soft ground.
There he chased home Haiti Couleurs, himself a high-class staying handicapper, beaten 4½ lengths but pulling 11 lengths clear of the third in a big, competitive field.
That effort showed he could cope with a strong pace, a long trip, and the demands of an undulating, left-handed track – all relevant to what he will face at Chepstow.
He backed that up with a solid fifth in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr over 4m, beaten 16 lengths but far from disgraced in one of the deepest staying handicaps of the spring.
The Scottish National run suggested that four miles on ground, just the soft side of good, is within range, but perhaps just at the edge of his ideal distance.
The Welsh National’s 3m6½f, on a more testing track but over a slightly shorter yardage, might be a touch more in his sweet spot.
This season began with a slightly underwhelming return at Cheltenham in October, when he finished tenth over 3m1f in a competitive handicap.
The ground was good, the race had a sharper feel to it, and he shaped like a horse who would come on for the run and appreciate both further and a stiffer test of stamina. That is exactly what he got at Ascot in November.
At Ascot, over an extended 3m5½f on good ground, Rock My Way produced his most impressive performance to date. Sent off favourite, he travelled comfortably, jumped cleanly, and then breezed right away to score by 11 lengths, leaving a reliable yardstick in Lord Accord toiling behind.
A 9lb rise for that win has been described as potentially underestimating him, and it is hard to argue with that view: visually, he looked like a horse operating well within himself at a trip similar to today’s.
The Tizzard–Powell Partnership
Rock My Way has had a few changes of scenery, moving through the hands of Syd Hosie and Anthony Charlton before joining Joe Tizzard, who has quietly built a reputation for improving staying chasers.
Tizzard’s record with long-distance handicap runners is strong, and he has often targeted races like the Welsh National with horses who combine staying power and a bit of pace.
Brendan Powell, who rides again, has become an important part of the Tizzard operation and knows Rock My Way very well.
He has been on board for the key marathon runs at Cheltenham, Ayr, and Ascot, so he understands when to conserve energy, when to press on, and how much the horse has left under him.
In a race where timing your move can be the difference between staying on into the frame and simply flattening out, that familiarity is a real plus.
The owners, John Romans and Nick Case, have supported the horse through his various transitions, and the decision to aim at Chepstow rather than chase another Scottish or spring marathon suggests they feel his current mark and form give him a real window of opportunity this mid‑winter.
Does His Style Suit Chepstow?
Tactically, Rock My Way brings something slightly different to the typical Welsh National grinder.
He travels through his races more sweetly than many old-fashioned plodders and can sit a bit closer to the pace if needed, without fighting his rider.
That can be a big help at Chepstow, where getting into a decent position before the tempo lifts down the back straight can make life much easier in the final mile.
One slight wrinkle is that his very best performance rating-wise came on a sounder surface, which might tempt some to wonder whether he is at his absolute peak when the track is riding less testing.
However, his body of work over good to soft and soft gives enough reassurance that he is not dependent on quick conditions. Provided the ground is not extreme, it is reasonable to expect him to run to somewhere near his Ascot level.
A Lively Challenger
So, where does all this leave Rock My Way in the context of the 2025 Coral Welsh National?
He is seven, right in the age bracket that has produced many recent winners of the race.
He has strong, recent form over marathon trips, including a runaway 3m5½f success and placed efforts at 3m6f and 4m.
And, he has an established partnership with his jockey and is with a trainer well-versed in handling staying chasers.
His running style – travelling well and then lengthening away – could be a major asset if he can reproduce it off a stronger gallop in testing ground.
However, he has not yet run at Chepstow, so unlike a horse such as Jubilee Express, he still has to show he enjoys the track’s particular rhythm and demands.
Even with those caveats, Rock My Way looks every inch a proper contender rather than a token alternative to the favourite.
His profile has the right blend of progression and proven stamina, and his Ascot win suggests his current mark might still lag behind his true ability.
If he relaxes into a rhythm, jumps as cleanly as he did last time, and handles the underfoot conditions, it is easy to imagine him looming into contention turning for home – and from there, it would be no surprise at all if he rocked a few betting slips on the way to the line.
BETFRED
