Keith Melrose thinks an unexposed high-end handicapper has just the right profile for the Scottish Grand National

You can tell Willie Mullins was not planning his raid on the British trainers' title before he took £860,000 out of the Grand National. Entries for Ayr's valuable Friday card were made four hours before Nick Rockett won at Aintree and Mullins' name was completely absent.

Conversely, when 60 entries landed for the Scottish Grand National on March 25, Mullins trained 13 of them. He had thought far enough ahead to not get caught short in one of the most valuable races left in the British season. 

But the Friday point remains the pertinent one. Events last weekend triggered this raid. Mullins' campaign to win the British title started after Cheltenham last year. There may be a small but important difference in the readiness of some of his runners.