26 horses have been declared for Ayr’s feature jumps race of the season, the Scottish Grand National. Run exactly a week on from the Aintree spectacular, the race has been bolstered this year by the challenge of Willie Mullins for the British jumps trainers’ title.
Having won his second Grand National in Liverpool on Saturday, the Closutton master has declared six runners for the 4m contest in Scotland this weekend. Chief among those is Macdermott, a six-year-old who was a wide-margin winner on his first run over 3m+ at Fairyhouse at the start of this month.
His five other runners include Midlands National runner-up Mr Incredible, who unseated at the Chair after a slow start in the Grand National, and would be his only potential runner in both races. Ontheropes, a previous Munster National winner, will also line-up along with Klarc Kent, Spanish Harlem and We’llhavewan.
The weights are headed by the Paul Nicholls-trained novice Stay Away Fay, with other significant declarations being Anglers Crag for Brian Ellison and former Welsh National winner Secret Reprieve.
Scottish Grand National Odds
Macdermott heads the market after sustained support arrived off the back of trainer Willie Mullins’ win in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. His nearest pursuer in the betting is Anglers Crag, who will be chasing a five-timer after a gutsy win in Newcastle’s Eider Chase in February.
Top-weight Stay Away Fay is fancied too, as is Midlands National winner Beauport. Cheltenham runner-up Git Maker, second in the Kim Muir, and Dan Skelton’s grey Sail Away are popular in the market as well.
| Horse | Trainer | Best Odds |
| Macdermott | Willie Mullins | 6/1 |
| Anglers Crag | Brian Ellison | 8/1 |
| Git Maker | Jamie Snowden | 12/1 |
| Stay Away Fay | Paul Nicholls | 12/1 |
| Beauport | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 14/1 |
| Mr Vango | Sara Bradstock | 14/1 |
| My Silver Lining | Emma Lavelle | 14/1 |
| BAR | 16/1 |