A total of 100 horses have been declared for the second day of the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr with 26 runners set to contest the £200,000 National itself at 3.35pm on Saturday 20th April.
The 8-race card gets underway with the £50,000 Scotty Brand Handicap Chase at 1.15pm, with the second biggest prizepot of the day on offer for the £100,000 Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle at 2.25pm.
Irish trainer Willie Mullins is making a massive effort to win the British Trainers’ Championship for the first time with the County Carlow handler sending 18 horses to Ayr, including 6 in the National itself.
Mullins will saddle Macdermott, Mr Incredible, Klarc Kent. We’llhavewon, Spanish Harlem and Ontheropes in the 4-mile centrepiece of Scotland’s first ever £500,000 raceday and there will be stiff competition from the leading British trainers in the title race, Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls.
Other main sponsors on the day are CPMS, Stagecoach, Jordan Electrics, Tennents and Golf Inn Prestwick and Clerk of the Course Graeme Anderson reports soft ground ahead of the first day of the 2-day fixture on Friday, when 89 horses will compete for prize money in excess of £165,000.
Friday’s feature race of an 8-race card starting at 1.20 is the £50,000 Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase at 2.50 with our long standing sponsors Hillhouse celebrating 31 years of having their name associated with the Scottish Grand National meeting.