Macdermott has a key Scottish Grand National angle covered - but there is an even less exposed chaser who fits the same brief

Plenty of the received wisdom about the Scottish Grand National is sure to be tested in this year's running. First there is the 155-year run since the last Irish-trained winner. It is not as though they are bereft of representation either. Since 2013, 8.6 per cent of Scottish National runners have been Irish-trained. This year's field will be 31 per cent Irish.

There also needs to be talk about the ground. Thursday's rain means it is going to be unambiguously soft on this occasion. Again, you might wonder why that is remarkable – this is the west coast of Scotland, after all. Yet there has not been a Scottish Grand National run on soft ground since 1999.

It can be easy to get wrapped up in the exceptionalism of this race, or any big race. There is also a timely warning against that here. Kitty's Light won the Eider and the bet365 Gold Cup either side of taking this race last year. The year before he had been second to stablemate Win My Wings, who came here after winning the Eider. These marathon handicaps have more that unites them than divides them.