CHEPSTOW'S Welsh National meeting attracted a slightly above average Christmas crowd of 8,100 yesterday, but not everyone went home happy.

For the first time, Chepstow's new parade ring in front of the main stand was in use alongside a winners' enclosure first opened a couple of months back.

But some punters complained that the new ring left people cramped inside the Tattersalls enclosure while others were concerned about the safety of people and horses in the winners' enclosure.

One angry fan told me: "You'd think with all the space available at Chepstow they could have planned this better.

"It is very cramped in the main betting and watching enclosure while the winners' enclosure is an accident waiting to happen.

"If a fractious two-year-old or any tired animal plays up, there is a real chance of an accident with so many people milling around.

"I intend to write to the racecourse management and I suspect others will do the same." Many punters were also unhappy with traffic arrangements which at one point meant 90-minute delays getting from the motorway exits to the course.

Chepstow racecourse manager Steve Clare was happy with the new layout however, saying: "You must remember the Coral National meeting is our biggest of the year and there is always some cramping.

"I think when people get used to the new layout they will appreciate its benefits. "We realised the new winners' enclosure was too small and we have extended it by moving the rostrum area and increasing the tarmac area for winners to go in.

"There shouldn't be a problem, certainly in terms of size and safety, though there may be a need to think about stewarding.

"Overall it has been a very good day for us, one of the best of recent years in terms of attendance.

"I think the Hereford meeting on Boxing Day being abandoned helped us because a lot of people who might have gone there visited us instead."

*PICTURED: Last year's winner Jocks Cross (left) has to play second fiddle to the winner of yesterday's Welsh National Supreme Glory (right) ridden by Leighton Aspell.