It's great to be back - get ready for a Scottish party on Ayr's big Flat day

There is always plenty to shout about on days like this – thank heavens there will now be plenty of people to do the shouting.

This is an afternoon that Scotland has been waiting for since the day when Michael Owen scored for England once more as his Angel Alexander won the Ayr Gold Cup two years ago, doing his best to silence the packed stands with victory at 28-1.

The country has not seen anything like that since. Not an English success – that is par for the course nowadays in the country's biggest Flat race, with no home winner since Roman Warrior in 1975.