Danny Mullins hopes isolation pays with sole Irish runner in Scottish National

Steve McQueen famously said in the movie Le Mans that "racing is life, anything else before or after is just waiting", and that certainly applies for Danny Mullins, who has done precious little else during the last week.

Mullins will be at Ayr on Sunday to partner Ireland's only challenger for the Coral Scottish Grand National, the Pat Fahy-trained Mister Fogpatches, having just finished self-isolation after returning from Aintree last weekend.

Coral Scottish Grand National card and betting

So far not so different from his weighing room colleagues, all of whom are restricted to just home and the racecourse in the days after such a trip under Ireland's elite sport protocol.

But unlike many of the top Irish pilots, Mullins – widely regarded as one of the hardest-working jockeys in Ireland – was in action at Wexford last Friday and only went across to Liverpool for a single ride aboard Acapella Bourgeois in the Randox Grand National.

Danny Mullins (red jacket) and the other Irish-based jockeys head out of their separate weighing rooms ahead of the Randox Grand NationalCredit: Grossick Racing

Now Mullins is set to repeat the process, albeit he hopes that Mister Fogpatches can do better than Acapella Bourgeois, who was never really a factor but made it round to finish 11th at Aintree.

"I've just completed my Aintree tests and have now started the next set and so hopefully the trip will be worthwhile," said Mullins.

"Once we get home we're in quarantine and though we're allowed to go racing, you can't stop at the shop on the way there."

"Once we go to the races we're in the bubble of all the jockeys that have been tested but apart from that, we're in quarantine for five days like every elite athlete when we get back."

Mister Fogpatches is a general 9-1 to extend Irish domination of Britain's top spring prizes and, while he has yet to win over fences, boasts an all to familiar profile as a novice having his first try over a marathon trip.

Danny Mullins hopes a second quarantine in as many weeks will be worth it as he rides Mister Fogpatches in the Coral Scottish Grand National on SundayCredit: Patrick McCann

"It's a very competitive race but he's at the bottom of the weights and the novices are where you start when you're looking for a winner of those type of races," said Mullins.

"He had a solid run in Leopardstown the last day and I think he'll learn a bit from that. He was thrown in at the deep end and Pat was quite keen to see how he handled that. Early in the race his jumping was a bit novicey but as he warmed up he started to jump very well. He got badly hampered by a faller at the last and but for that he would have been a couple of lengths closer."

Mister Fogpatches split Livelovelaugh (second) and Snugsborough Hall (seventh) at Leopardstown and both went on to run big races at Aintree over just over a circuit of the Grand National course, finishing first and fourth.

"I suppose if you look at Livelovelaugh and the way he won the Topham, I think it's a solid bit of form and I'd be hopeful he'll see out the trip," said Mullins. "I won on him in Navan over close to three miles on heavy ground so staying is not a problem. The fact he handled good ground at Leopardstown is another positive."

Read more on the Scottish Grand National:

'I'm excited' - 5lb claimer Theo Gillard can't wait for Scottish National ride

How Saturday's sporting schedule has altered in light of Prince Philip funeral

Members' Club: 'I'd rather we weren't going in as favourite - the limelight is on you'

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