Scottish Grand National Day

It was a great day last week when Neptune Collonges landed the John Smiths Grand National in his last ever appearance on a racecourse. A victory like that was so overdue for him and I can now do nothing but thank him and wish him a happy retirement. I hope a few of you got on him at fancy prices thanks to here. I'd also like to mention Sunnyhillboy who was such a gallant runner up in the race. He sustained tendon damage somewhere through the race and was operated on 24 hours later, it was a bit hit and miss whether he would survive but i'm glad to report that he will be ok and live to fight another day. But on to this week and its the Ayr Grand National, as well as some good races at Newbury.

1:40
A hands and heels race for young apprentices, this means no use of the whip unless its for safety measures. One that shouldn't be winning this is PETE who even with the whip doesnt find much off the bridle and it would be Lucy Alexander at her brilliant best to get him home in front. ENFANT DE LUNE won at Ffos Las last sunday and is bidding to follow up here under Francis Hayes, he takes the 3 pounds off which cancels out part of the 7 pound penalty. It would be a good effort to win this under top weight still. CAVITE ETA has been raised 10 pounds for his narrow win at Newcastle last time, that should account for his chances today unless he improves notably. BENE LAD is ultra consistent and the jockey booking is an interesting one, Brendan Powell takes the ride, and if anyone in horse racing doesnt know about him now they never will. He has to be feared off bottom weight here today and could be the one to beat. GRANDIOSO had just hit the front when falling at Hereford and looking like a winner and alot is thought of him, James Cowley is a talented rider and isnt easily dismissed. OUTRAGEOUS REQUEST was a fortuitous winner last time out when looking well held to have the race handed to him by the leader falling at the last. Preference today is for Sue Smiths first string which is PINEROLO who had a quiet winter then came back with a bang at Carlisle. He was only just touched off last time by Grandad's Horse when it looked for another couple of strides he would have got there. One thing that let him down that day was his jumping, you can forgive him that though as its usually his forte and he was jumping the fixed brush hurdles which may have thrown him a bit. Most probably a chaser for next year but is still very useful over a hurdle.

2:15
LIDAR is possibly the most frustrating horse in training, one time he could bolt up by 30 lengths and look a really good horse, the next time he wouldnt win a seller. If the right horse turns up and he wants to go forward then he should be winning this doing handstands. But it is a huge gamble. LANCETTO looks a bit short of top class and he will do very well to give away weight all round and win today. But he is consistent and could be one for the placepot punters. PACHA DU POLDER could hardly have been more impressive at Warwick before being stepped up in class and unseating Daryl Jacob at Newbury. He could be another like his fellow joint favourite in the fact that he may be a bit hit and miss. LUCKY LANDING beat LIDAR last time out easily and still won despite the jockey mistaking the winning line. He is no mug however and jumped fantastically that day if anything under performs he will be there to pick up the spoils. PURE FAITH brings the best form to the table in his second to Albertas Run first up this season, but that is looking more and more like a one off as he has shown nothing since that day. RIVAL D'ESTRUVAL is the local horse and has his first run over Fences today and if taking to it cant be ruled out by any stretch of the imagination, you cant back him with any confidence though. This one can go to Alan King's LIDAR as long as he is on a good day.

2:50 - Scottish Champion Hurdle
I was quietly hoping for quite a bit of rain today as i fancied DESERT CRY to go close in this but the ground remains good and that makes him hard to fancy in my mind. RAYA STAR has been very good this year but he may now just be high enough in the weights after a disappointing show in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. EDGARDO SOL has now run at Cheltenham and Aintree and has run his heart out both times. Even though he won very easily at Aintree I would question how much they have taken out of him and i'd be shocked were he good enough to win this today after his hectic campaign. LOCAL HERO bounced last time in the County hurdle and he has the potential to make his tag of 16/1 look foolish. He will need to improve though. I'm adamant that MEGASTAR has a big race in him somewhere but i would doubt that today is that day. Saying that there must be a reason Gary Moore has bought him all the way from Sussex up to Ayr as it isnt exactly a short trip. Each way claims. There has been market support for RED MERLIN this morning and is clearly fancied. But i cant justify why, he is a useful horse but has been raised 5 pounds for the shortest of wins at Newcastle in a weaker race than this. He would be my lay of the race. CHARM SCHOOL has come from Evan Williams' yard down in Wales and is clearly fancied. Adam Wedge gets on really well with him and gets the leg up today. He would be another however that i would avoid today though. PETIT ROBIN put in a cracking effort at Newbury last time coming from a lay off and as long as he doesnt bounce he should run a good enough race, I have always been skeptical as to how good he actually is and may be best watched. Barry Geraghty has opted for him over the other Nicky Henderson runner which is our selection today. TETLAMI has been a really good novice hurdler this year recording wins at Sandown and Kempton (also one win on the fibresand at Kempton) before disappointing in the Supreme. That run can be forgiven though as, as soon as he hit the hill he stopped and it could be that Cheltenham doesnt suit him. Ayr will be much more up his street and i cant believe he is 7/1. Definite each way value and is my idea of an easy winner.

3:25 - Scottish Grand National
Paul Nicholls won the English version of this race with Neptune Collonges last week and attempts to make it a double with Sir Alex Ferguson's horse HARRY THE VIKING. He proved he stayed when running on in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham to grab second behind Teaforthree. My only worry is that he doesnt do much in front in a sense that he just stops. In a race like this you cant do that without paying the price. Also very weak in the market this morning. MERIGO comes alive in this race every year and won it for me two years ago. I just dont feel that there is any value in taking 13/2 though he may well bolt up. IKORODU ROAD will relish the step up in trip as stamina is really his game. However he may be playing for minor money today. QUENTIN COLLONGES has been sparkling over fences so far and his win at Doncaster was fantastic to watch. Pricewise has chosen him today and I can see him getting a place but cant see him as the winner. ANY CURRENCY is an interesting one as he is a pound out of the handicap but Martin Keighley has been pulling his hair out after not getting into a few races he really fancied him in. He should go well today and has run 4th in the National hunt chase a few seasons ago. His day will come. I have a sneaking suspicion that PETTIFOUR could go well today. But the main thing for him is to get him jumping as over fences he can be a bit lazy. If he can translate his smart hurdles form to fences he should go very well for a yard who have recently refound a bit of form. MAC AEDA is another dangerous one down the bottom of the weights after running a good race in the Grimthorpe, I would be worried about his staying power today and others are preferred. One that will have no problem staying is PORTRAIT KING who won the Eider at Newcastle when finishing powerfully to catch Posh Bird late on. Denis O'Regan is very sweet on his chances and looks to be an improving horse, its hard to see him out of the frame. Its hard to fancy GALAXY ROCK today on his latest form but if the McCoy factor can bring him back to his best he could go very close. KNOCKARA BEAU is the one i have been saying all week but each day I have fancied him a bit less as nowadays he seems to operate better on softer ground. He may still be able to turn in a nice effort today though. AURORA'S ENCORE is one that could sneak under the radar at a nice price for Sue Smith after winning comfortably at Haydock last time out. My idea of the winner today is FRUITY O'ROONEY who is trained locally to me. Jamie Moore along with many others have said he is the one to beat and its no surprise after the season he has had. It would only be fair were he to land a big race like this after being mugged on the line at Cheltenham by Sunnyhillboy. FRUITY O'ROONEY to land the spoils today.

3:45 - Newbury
FURY goes off top weight here after running really well in a reappearance at Doncaster in the Lincoln to come third. There has been a few words flying round that he may just be better with a bit of give in the ground which is why many believe today is his day. DUBAWI SOUND makes his reappearance today and could just need this despite alot of market support and carries the burden of Pricewise. NAZREEF has won twice on the polytrack at Lingfield and Kempton in big races already this year. It could just be that he is better on the polytrack than on the turf. GLOBAL VILLAGE looked like a very good horse when winning at Leicester last time out coming with a late swoop under Kieran Fallon (who rides Fury today). But champion jockey Paul Hanagan gets the leg up today which is far from a negative. The ground will suit as well. HIGHLAND KNIGHT seems to run his race on any ground and could figure here after blowing away the cobwebs last time when throwing the race away by going sharply left handed at Kempton. Real live place claims. HEDDWYN makes his reappearance today and looks to set the record straight after a hugely disappointing run at Ascot last time out. MONT RAS ran a real nice race at Doncaster first time out this year and he will be all the better for that. The ground looks against him today and he could struggle in the mud today. CAPTAIN BERTIE was behind him that day but was very unlucky when not getting a gap and  having to switch sides of the course at a crucial time of the race before flying home to grab fourth. Im taking a chance on him today in a hope that he wont mind the ground.

I hope everyone has a good day and as always Happy Punting

NAP - Tetlami
NB - Fruity O'Rooney
I'd strongly advise putting these two in an each way double