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Can Paul Nicholls End Scottish National Drought? In the wake of last weekend’s Aintree Grand National and the start of the top class action on the flat this week with Newmarket’s Craven meeting, punters could be forgiven for forgetting that it’s the Scottish Grand National this coming Saturday at Ayr and is the highlight of a cracking two day card at Scotland’s premier racecourse. Surprisingly, there is no entry from the Donald McCain yard, who saddled Ballabriggs to success at Aintree last week, but Paul Nicholls, who saddled the fifth home last weekend in Niche Market, is not only represented by Neptune Collonges but also by The Minack. The latter is the confirmed mount of Ruby Walsh, while it will be claimer, Ryan Mahon who will get the ride on the classy grey, ‘Neptune’ taking 5lb off his back in the process. Nicholls has only won the Scottish Grand National once before, which came early on in his training career in 1997 when Belmont King, ridden by AP McCoy carried top weight to a brilliant 1½ success over Samlee. Walsh has also ridden the winner of the race, his single success came in 2002 on board the Martin Pipe trained Take Control. The 5/1 favourite, Chicago Grey is a different proposition altogether however, a winner of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup at Cheltenham last month, this 8 year old comes to Ayr on a great racing weight and from Gordon Elliott’s bang in form stable, who make a habit of winning big races like these. At Cheltenham he had to come from behind to defeat the Tim Vaughan trained Beshabar, who opposes again at Ayr, this time however with a 5ib pull in the weights and a longer trip to make that weight advantage count. The Vaughan stable are very bullish about being able to reverse the Cheltenham form and he is the second favourite, around the 7/1 mark and it would be no surprise to see him go off favourite come Saturday afternoon. There was some doubt whether or not last year’s winner, Merigo, would get into the race but after so many withdrawals at the five day declarations he is certain to take his place in the field and is expected to run a big race for Scotland. There hasn’t been a back to back winner of the Scottish Grand National since 1984/5 when Androma trained by Jimmy Fitzgerald and ridden by Mark Dwyer achieved the feat. Like last year, the 10 year old will be ridden by Timmy Murphy who will once again be riding for his Father in law, Raymond Anderson-Green. Having failed to get into the Aintree field, Merigo has been laid out to win a marathon this season and it could be that once again he will fly the flag for the home team with odds of around the 14/1 mark currently. Although having been campaigned this season in Handicap Chases and doing well, Always Right would appear to have sufficient form to do well in this race. An out and out stayer who jumps well he seems to be a Scottish Grand National type and is a justifiable 8/1 shot to win the race for owner and trainer, John Wade. |
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