'He's definitely the strong one' - more support for novice for Scottish National

Alan King captured the Coral Scottish Grand National (3.35) with an improving seven-year-old in 2013 and Major Dundee, who boasts a similar profile, continues to attract interest as the major market mover in Saturday's contest.

The 2013 victory of novice Godsmejudge remains the only success in the big handicap for Scottish-born King but Major Dundee is continuing to attract support and is now 17-2 (from 12-1) with Sky Bet to continue a fine season.

He won novice handicap chases at Fakenham and Bangor before finishing a good second at Newbury last month and he is fancied again despite a 3lb rise for that latest effort.

Sky Bet's Michael Shinners said: "Major Dundee is 12-1 into 17-2 and is definitely the strong one in the Scottish National. Elsewhere, Do Your Job has been well backed for the Graded novice chase at 3.00. He is now 7-4 from 5-2."

The leading Irish fancy in the National, Stormy Judge, is now jostling for favouritism with some firms having shortened into 13-2 (from 7-1). Pat Fahy's raider is now level at the head of the market in most books with Kitty's Light.

Barrichello is another attracting notable support, this time in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle. He is generally 11-2 (from 7-1) to complete a hat-trick following success at Warwick and Newcastle.

The ground at Ayr is good to soft, good in places following 2mm of rainfall after racing yesterday and Ayr’s clerk of the course Graeme Anderson expects the chase track to be riding a "little bit tacky" ahead of the 4m marathon contest.

Speaking on Saturday morning, he said: "We're good to soft, good in places. We had 2mm rain last night, so we’re pretty much back to where we started yesterday. The ground walks pretty similar and the boys said it was good to soft then.

Today's Ayr racecard

"It may be a little bit tacky on the chase course, but we’re expecting a dry day with sunny spells. It won’t be warm though as it’ll probably only be 10C."

Ayr will be welcoming spectators back to its marquee meeting for the first time since 2019. The fixture was cancelled in 2020 and took place behind closed doors last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A sell-out crowd of 15,000 is set to be at Ayr.

Anderson added: "It’s fantastic and to see it again and after having two years with nobody, it's really great. Even yesterday was busy and there was a real atmosphere around the place.

"We heard people cheering and celebrating big winners and it makes a big difference. We have some really decent horses on show today and it’s looking like it’ll be a competitive day all round."

Good, good to soft ground forces 14 out at Newbury

There are 18 non-runners at Newbury – the other track featuring ITV coverage on Saturday – where the going is good, good to soft in places.

14 of those taken out across the seven-race card are due to the ground, including five absentees in the day's Grade 2 British EBF BetVictor racingtohelpukraine.uk "NH" Mares' Novices' Hurdle (2.45).

Newbury's clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: “We have done a lot. We have prepared a very safe ground on the easy side during the week. Before declarations on Wednesday, for Friday, Mick Fitzgerald called in and said how it was lovely good to soft ground.

“We did a bit more [watering] on Thursday before racing, and then after racing yesterday, so if people don’t want to run on that then it’s their prerogative. A lot of horses are having their last races of the season, so people are being careful.”

Ayr

Market movers
2.25: Barrichello 11-2 (from 7-1)
3.00: Do Your Job 7-4 (from 15-8)
3.35: Major Dundee 9-1 (from 12-1)
5.15: Call Me Harry 3-1 (from 4-1)

Non-runners
1.15: 7 Coach Carter, 9 Dubai Days
1.50: 6 Sail Away
2.25: 9 Kihavah
3.35 : 10 Streets Of Doyen
4.10: 3 Elvis Mail, 6 Aurora Thunder
4.45: 2 Donna's Double, 3 Skatman, 10 Platinumcard

Newbury

Non-runners
1.00: 1 Storm Hill, 7 Inca De Lafayette, 12 Doublethetrouble
1.35: 1 Surrey Quest, 6 Punctuation, 8 Pearly Island, 9 Icone d'Aubrelle
2.10: 4 La Cavsa Nostra, 7 Another Emotion
2.45: 1 Speech Bubble, 6 Corey's Courage, 9 Marsh Wren, 10 Walk In Clover, 14 Lady Tremaine
3.20: 2 Monsieur Lecoq
4.30: 2 Bubble Dubi, 4 Scotch On Da Rocks, 8 Sea Village

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