A barnstormer of a National on the best of days in a sunny and glorious Scotland
Savouring the big-race atmosphere at Ayr
Thank god for the mad magic of Grand Nationals. A week ago Tiger Roll lasted home just by a head and on Saturday Joe Farrell kept the rallying Ballyoptic at bay by a fast-vapourising nostril in a barnstormer of a finish to the Scottish National.
Rebecca Curtis had endured a grim old winter in the wilds of west Wales and came to Ayr with just eight winners from a revealing 86 runners. It is a long hike to the Curtis yard – when you glimpse the Statue of Liberty you know you're almost there – but spring is the time for green shoots and this must have been a massive load off the trainer's shoulders.
Sassenachs down south don't quite grasp how huge a day this is in Scotland. It is the fourth-biggest biggest betting race of the year behind the Aintree version, Gold Cup and that funny race they run on the first Saturday in June round that crazy golf course in Surrey in June.
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