IRIS DE BALME WINS CORAL SCOTTISH GRAND NATIONAL
HUGE CROWDS, GREAT RACING AT CORAL SCOTTISH GRAND
NATIONAL FESTIVAL
HUGE crowds were treated to two
great days racing at the Coral Scottish Grand National Festival at
Ayr Racecourse last weekend. 
But there was a stunned silence when 66/1 shot Iris De Balme shot clear by 14 lengths to win the £200,000 Coral Scottish Grand National under 20 year old amateur jockey Charlie Huxley.(horse and jockey pictured right).
It appeared hardly anyone in the 17,200 crowd had backed the shock winner who flashed home ahead of Halcon Genelardais (10/1), ridden by Robert 'Choc' Thornton with Flintoff (28/1) in third and 4/1 favourite Old Benny in fourth.
Trained by Sean Curran, who still has a riding career, and owned by former Norwich City, Dundee and Hibs footballer Lee Power, Iris De Balme loved the going at Ayr which was described as 'good'.
A delighted Charlie Huxley said afterwards : "To win the Coral Scottish Grand National is just amazing. I rode Old Benny to win at Cheltenham but this was just great."
There was another shock winner in the Samsung Electronics Scottish Champion Hurdle when 40/1 shot Border Castle, trained by Andrew Haynes and ridden by Nick Schofield held off the challenge of 9/4 favourite Takeroc in the hands of Ruby Walsh by three lengths.
It was the best Scottish Champion Hurdle for many years with 16 runners going to post including the highly thought of Pearl King in the JP McManus colours which could only finish fifth despite heaving the assistance of champion jockey Tony McCoy.
There was a shock in the Ashleybank Investments Future Champion Novice Chase when Starzaan, the mount of 'Choc' Thornton at odds of 9/2 rallied after the last fence to collar Noland (Ruby Walsh) and beat the 4/7 favourite by two and a quarter lengths.
Timmy Murphy was the in form jockey on Saturday with a spectacular treble courtesy of Pauline Robson's Overserved (25/1) in the Ballochmyle by Ardgowan Homes Handicap Hurdle; Marcel (6/1), trained by Peter Monteith in the Albert Bartlett and Sons Handicap Chase and Merigo (13/2) for Andrew Parker in the Cenkos Securities Novices Handicap Chase.
Favourite backers had to wait until the very last race on Saturday to have a winner and that was Conflictofinterest (6/4 fav) , trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh in the Ashleybank Investments Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Uplawmoor based trainer Jim Goldie had a double winner in La Vecchia Scuola (3/1) who landed the opener on Saturday - the Purvis Marquees Juvenile Novices Hurdle -by 15 lengths less than 24 hours after winning the Coral Supporting Poppyscotland Mares Only Handicap Hurdle on Friday at the better odds of 18/1.
The Friday racing was also of a very high standard and a real old fashioned gamble was landed in the first, the Tam O'Shanter Poppyscotland Novices Handicap Hurdle when Asian Royale (7/4 fav) won by three and a quarter lengths from Big Fella Thanks. Ridden by Slippers Madden the gelding trained in County Limerick by Charlie Byrnes never looked in any danger.
Jockey Peter Buchanan scored a double with the Pauline Robson trained Reap the Reward (11/2) in the Macb Novices Handicap Chase and Quws Law (14/1) for his guv'nor Lucinda Russell the Artemis Investment Management Supporting Poppyscotland Handicap Hurdle.
Richard McGrath also completed a double after his success on La Vecchia Scuola when he won the Charles and Sarah Anderson Claiming Chase aboard Auntie Kathleen (7/1) for trainer John Quinn.
Ferdy Murphy rarely leaves Ayr without a winner and the Yorkshire based trainer obliged with Three Mirrors (6/1) in the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase under Keith Mercer.
Trainer Paul Nicholls trained Just Amazing (4/1), ridden by Harry Skelton to win the West Sound Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle.
Ayr Racecourse spokesman Iain Ferguson said : "We had two great days racing with 5,500 attending on Friday and 17,200 on Saturday. All the top jockeys and trainers were here and the Coral Scottish Grand National was an exciting spectacle. The profile of the meeting grows year by year.
"I'd like to thank everyone who attended and all the sponsors for their great support."
Ayr's next meeting is the Media Raceday, the first flat meeting of the season at the track, on Wednesday May 21. To book advanced tickets call 0870-8505666 or go online at www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk
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