Your ultimate guide to a Scottish Grand National day sure to thrill us all again

The day in a nutshell

Every cloud is supposed to have a silver lining, so maybe, just maybe, the ones of a vintage variety can make amends at Ayr.

Seven days after one Grand National door was slammed shut at the first fence, could another open for Vintage Clouds, who was the fourth most popular horse with punters at Aintree last Saturday, sent off at 11-1.

Months of planning, pampering and preparation were all wasted in the space of 20 seconds at Aintree. Making the pill even more bitter to swallow for trainer Sue Smith, jockey Danny Cook and owner Trevor Hemmings was the fact he sailed over the opening fence, making the perfect shape, only to land steeply and sprawl on landing. Dreams dashed before eyes were even shut.

Compensation claims usually take an age to be settled but victory in the Coral Scottish Grand National would be one of the quickest pay-outs of all time.

It could happen, you know. Third in the race last year, a closing second to Beware The Bear – a late withdrawal on Saturday morning – in the Ultima at Cheltenham and in the same colours as Vicente, who won back-to-back runnings in 2016 and 2017. Stranger things have happened.

Strange things do tend to happen in Scotland’s richest race. Last year’s winner, Joe Farrell, was 33-1, Wayward Prince was 25-1 in 2015, and Al Co returned at a massive 40-1 in 2014. The average price of the winner in the last five years is a shade over 23-1.

Crosshue Boy would have fitted the bill a few days ago. He was 33-1 last Sunday but those juicy odds have long gone and he’s now vying for favouritism.

His trainer Sean Doyle has yet to train a winner this season, so what a story it would be if his first was in the Scottish National. He beat Dingo Dollar at this meeting last year, so what’s not to like?

There was nothing to like about Brain Power’s performance in the Champion Hurdle and, so competitive is the Scottish Champion Hurdle, that he is as big as 14-1 for his first appearance in a handicap since 2016. Will Nube Negra be the one to edge Dan Skelton even closer to Martin Pipe’s record?

The only off-key note is the absence of Too Darn Hot from the Greenham, but what looked a foregone conclusion is now one of the trickiest puzzles of all to solve on Saturday.

Aidan O'Brien: sends So Perfect across for the Fred Darling and Defoe to defend his John Porter crownCredit: Patrick McCann

Aidan O’Brien sends So Perfect for the Fred Darling, and Roger Varian's Defoe is back to defend his John Porter crown. Notebooks at the ready for Newbury.

And, don’t forget Magical returns at Naas, as does Jersey winner Le Brivido and last season’s Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Romanised. Adding spice to the mix is Joseph O'Brien lining up his Irish Derby winner Latrobe against dad's filly Magical.

It doesn’t matter whether you favour the Flat or prefer the jumps, this is one of those rare occasions when you can have your cake and eat it.

Moore on a mission

Did you know Ryan Moore appeared at only four Irish tracks in 2018? The Curragh, Leopardstown, Naas and Navan.

His most impressive record was at Naas, where he rode 11 winners from 20 rides, a 55 per cent success rate which yielded a €12.45 level stake profit for every €1.

Ryan Moore: impressive book of rides at Naas where he has a terrific recordCredit: Steve Davies

Not only that but two of his rides were second, two were third and three were fourth. That means only two of his 20 rides at the track last year finished out of the first four.

Moore makes the trip to Naas on Saturday for a brilliant book of rides, which include Magical – who gave Enable such a scare in the Breeders’ Cup Turf – in the Alleged Stakes (4.35), Le Brivido in the Gladness Stakes (4.00) and Monarch Of Egypt, the son of American Pharaoh in the opening maiden (1.50).

Brace yourself for some new faces

Nico de Boinville, Aidan Coleman and James Bowen are all in action for Nicky Henderson on Saturday, but so too are much less familiar names.

Richard Patrick, Lorcan Williams and Connor Brace all ride for the Seven Barrows powerhouse, and it is a particularly big afternoon for Brace, who partners Verdana Blue in the CPMS Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.

Brace, who has 18 career win and is riding at Ayr for the first time, takes off 7lb from Verdana Blue in the Grade 2 limited handicap, in which De Boinville partners Mister Fisher and Coleman is on Brain Power.

Nicky Henderson: giving opportunities to a trio of young jockeysCredit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson is using Brace for only the second time, likewise Patrick, who rides Son Of Camas for him at Bangor, where Williams links up with the trainer for the first time, partnering Keen On.

As the season winds down, all three young jockeys will naturally hope to impress a trainer who has one of the biggest strings in the nation.

Like father, like son?

We get our very first glimpse of a two-year-old by American Pharoah at Naas on Saturday.

Big things are expected of the American Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic winner at stud, and Aidan O’Brien is seemingly expecting big things from his son, Monarch Of Egypt, in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.

"He's a really nice colt and has been going lovely and showing us plenty on the gallops," O’Brien said on Friday.

Will we see another Sprinter?

The concluding bumper (5.20) at Ayr was won by Sprinter Sacre in 2010 and it is worth noting that Nicky Henderson has won the race five times in the last nine years.

Fourth Estate (2011), River Maigue (2012), William Henry (2015) and Pym (2017) have all been successful since Sprinter Sacre scorched the turf at Ayr.

This time the Henderson camp is represented by O Connell Street, a half-brother to this season's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner City Island, who caught the eye on debut when second at Market Rasen.

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