Scottish Grand National Betting Tips & Predictions
As the British jumps season draws to a close, Ayr stages the final major festival which culminates on Saturday with the feature Scottish Grand National.
Saturday's card runs from 13:15-17:20 and includes Grade 2 action via the Scottish Champion Hurdle (14:25) as well as a £50,000 novices' handicap chase (13:50) before the big race itself at 15:35.
We've assessed the action across the card on Saturday at Ayr and picked out our best bets.
13:15 - Scotty Brand Handicap Chase (2m½f)
About as deep a field of six handicappers as you could find, with four horses who won last time out as well as a former Scottish Champion Hurdle third in Tommy's Oscar. The only horse who fits into neither category is PEMBROKE, but that only serves to inflate his price and make him the value choice. This horse is clearly well regarded and has strongly threatened to deliver on his promise of late. This trip will be more his cup of tea than the extended 2m4f over which he finished third last time.
Selection: Pembroke
13:50 - CPMS Novices' Champion Handicap Chase (3m)
Fences have been the making of YOUNG BUSTER, who has won three of his four runs in this sphere. He was impressive twice at Kelso in the winter, and would have been second to Egbert (who runs in the Scottish National) at Doncaster last time but for his rider dropping his hands late on. He will be suited by 3m in the long run and will cope with whatever going conditions come up at Ayr on Saturday, soft or drying. He has been massively overlooked in the betting.
Selection: Young Buster
14:25 - Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m)
L'EAU DU SUD is edging down in quality of race while his mark creeps up for finishing second in good handicaps. He was beaten only by Iberico Lord in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February, then ran into Absurde in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last time. He is now 9lb higher in the weights than when he faced the starter at Newbury, but this is a lesser race and he should continue his progress in a contest lacking another Iberico Lord or Absurde.
Selection: L'Eau Du Sud
15:00 - Jordan Electrics Ltd Seafield Trophy Mares' Handicap Hurdle (3m½f)
Paul Nicholls' LARCHMONT LASS was useful in bumpers but has taken a while to warm up as a hurdler. She was even set quite a bit to do when fourth in a Grade 2 handicap at Newbury on her handicap debut. She is stoutly bred, her dam stayed 2m6f and once beat Tiger Roll in a novice chase, so the step up to 3m is expected to bring out even more improvement.
Selection: Larchmont Lass
15:35 - Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase (4m)
The Scottish Grand National could come down to how much the sea breeze dries out conditions at Ayr. Many are here in expectation of spring-like ground and in a typical Scottish National Inis Oirr would hold a live chance. However, it looks set to be testing and therefore MR VANGO tops the list. He is completely unexposed and is known to thrive over long distances in soft ground. He won by 60 lengths at Exeter before running a perfectly good race against top-class novices at the Cheltenham Festival.
Selection: Mr Vango
16:10 - Let Good Times Roll With Stagecoach Novices' Handicap Hurdle (3m½f)
After easily winning a point-to-point and running well in two good Ascot novice hurdles, WELCOM TO CARTRIES went off favourite for a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Doncaster in January. He was second to a promising sort that day, but it did not harm his reputation and if anything it only emphasised the idea that he will be up to winning handicaps from a mark of 130. He could have been let in lightly here.
Selection: Welcom To Cartries
16:45 - Tennent's Novices' Hurdle (2m4½f)
Quite a valuable race of its kind, which partly explains the increased interest from big Irish stables. The Willie Mullins-trained QUAI DE BOURBON finished third in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival last time and it would be very likely that a repeat of that level of performance would see him home in front today.
Selection: Quai De Bourbon
17:20 - Play Coral 'Racing-Super-Series' For Free Handicap Hurdle (3m)
This tends to be a strong bumper but it should still be at the mercy of Willie Mullins, who has few peers in any division but especially this one. C'EST TA CHANCE has won a point-to-point and recorded a good second at Navan on his debut for Mullins before running in the Champion Bumper last time. That is a recommendation in itself and he could end up a very short price.