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2024 Scottish Grand National runners, tips and ratings: David Jennings' pinstickers' guide
A field of 26 runners will go to post for the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr this Saturday, so who will come out on top? Read our runner-by-runner guide featuring top quotes and star ratings for the big race live on ITV at 3.35pm.
1 Stay Away Fay
DJ's view: Did anybody notice if Stay Away Fay ran in the Brown Advisory with all four legs? Have we any witnesses? How can a horse who spent the previous six weeks floating between 5-2 and 3-1 drift all the way out to double digits on the exchanges before the off? He ran the way the drift suggested he would. He lost a shoe and scoped dirty afterwards. If ever there was a track and a trip to suit a horse, four miles around Ayr for this guy would be it. He might just get Paul Nicholls back into the title race.
Trainer's view: Paul Nicholls: "I'm hoping the longer trip will suit him. He ran moderately at Cheltenham last time and, while he's got a stiff task under top weight, I'm expecting a tidy run."
Star rating: *****
2 Mr Incredible
DJ's view: Author Roger Hargreaves has missed a trick. He has written and illustrated books about Mr Tickle, Mr Messy and even Mr Topsy-Turvy, but surely Mr Incredible would be his best seller. You would never know what's going to happen when you turn the page. This eight-year-old could do anything. He got to the Chair last Saturday. If he gets out the right side of the bed he could win this. God only knows what he'll do. Actually, even God mightn't know.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "I'm looking forward to riding Mr Incredible in such a big race. We were third in the Kim Muir together and he's gone up 8lb since. He didn't get very far at Aintree but he's fresh and well after it. If he could get back to the form of his second at Uttoxeter in the Midlands National he should be thereabouts."
Star rating: ***
3 Elvis Mail
DJ's view: Smashing servant over the years and registered a ninth win in typically gutsy fashion at Carlisle last time. A tenth success won't be happening here, though, unfortunately.
Trainer's view: Nick Alexander: "It's a slight afterthought. This race is normally run on good ground and I don't like running my horses on good ground at the end of a busy season. However, it's soft ground this year and conditions will be fine for Elvis Mail. We don't know if he will stay, but hopefully he'll get into a nice, early rhythm and we'll find out."
Star rating: *
4 Beauport
DJ's view: Midlands National winner who won't mind any downpours that arrive. Dug deep to down Mr Incredible at Uttoxeter and the softer it gets, the more he comes into the reckoning. He's dangerous if he holds his position early.
Trainer's view: Nigel Twiston-Davies: "He won very well at Uttoxeter last time. If he jumps straight and well he must have a chance. He's still unexposed and I'm hopeful."
Star rating: ****
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5 Ontheropes
DJ's view: Looked a promising stayer once upon a time, but 2021 is a long time ago. Cut little ice in the Leinster National at Naas and this looks a much deeper contest.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "Ontheropes got a leg after he won the Munster National and has been disappointing. He was coming back to form the last day at Naas and could be returning to form at the right time."
Star rating: *
6 Spanish Harlem
DJ's view: Now, then, what do we have here? An unexposed Willie Mullins-trained novice who could be anything. He looks like a chaser but he doesn't jump like a chaser thus far. Perhaps this marathon trip will bring out the best in him and if you could guarantee me a slick round of jumping he would be the selection. The problem is that I can see him clattering quite a few fences.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "He hasn't lived up to being the horse we thought he might be but better ground, a flatter track and being the choice of Paul Townend must all mean he goes to Ayr with a chance."
Star rating: ***
7 Gold Cup Bailly
DJ's view: Hasn't been seen for over a year and it would be an outrageous training performance were Stuart Crawford able to get him to win the Scottish National on his reappearance. He's a decent horse, but even were he not returning from a break, a mark of 140 seems steep.
Racing manager's view: Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede: "He's been ready to run for a couple of weeks but we decided we'd keep him fresh and come straight to this race. We always thought he would make a long-distance chaser, but we’re obviously going into the unknown."
Star rating: **
8 Iron Bridge
DJ's view: Started 9-2 favourite for the Midlands National but hated every second of it. Take that awful effort out of his CV and he would be half the price he is now. Stable not exactly firing in the winners, but Jonjo O'Neill is more than capable of having one ready for the big day. He's one of the outsiders who interests me.
Jockey's view: Jonjo O'Neill Jr: "He has been running well in these races all season apart from the Midlands National last time out. That was simply too bad to be true. He should give a good account of himself."
Star rating: ****
9 Whistleinthedark
DJ's view: Beaten a long way in the Kim Muir at 100-1 and doesn't look the same stayer this season as he was last term. Sliding mark but sliding ability too, it seems.
Trainer's view: Laura Morgan: "The trip is an unknown and he wants better ground but he's in good form."
Star rating: **
10 Ballygrifincottage
DJ's view: You get the impression April 20 has been circled on this chap's calendar for some time. He's had only ten starts under rules in his whole career so he's obviously been tricky to train, but Dan Skelton is a sensational trainer so expect to have him cherry ripe for this (can you use the world ripe without cherry before it, by the way?) He was odds-on to win the Towton last season and was rated 145 back then. He's only 138 now. Dangerous.
Trainer's view: Dan Skelton: "I think he's got a squeak. It's hyper-competitive but he's just come back to form. His run at Ascot was good and then his run at Sandown was even better. He went missing for a few months for whatever reason – he seemed to have a full-body meltdown – but he's back on form now. Hopefully he can be a player."
Star rating: ***
11 Macdermott
DJ's view: Couldn't jump for most of his chase career and even made two terrible errors when winning at Fairyhouse last time. That was emphatic and Danny Mullins gets a great tune out of him, but can he afford to make a few desperate mistakes here? I'm not sure.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "Macdermott was very good at Fairyhouse the last day. He'll have to step up on his form as he got a big whack from the handicapper so the question is how much he has up his sleeve. He has a nice racing weight and he'd have a chance."
Star rating: ***
12 Tommie Beau
DJ's view: Presumably named after the ex-Irish winger turned morning TV presenter in Ireland who my wife fancies. I doubt she would find the horse's chances as handsome, although his recent Eider third was the best run of his whole career according to Racing Post Ratings.
Star rating: **
13 Broken Halo
DJ's view: Returned to winning ways on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival at Taunton under a Harry Cobden masterclass. Plenty of stuff Bryony Frost has been touching this week has been turning to gold, so you wouldn't put it past her. Others surely have more wiggle room off their marks, though.
Trainer's view: Paul Nicholls: "He stayed on well to win at Taunton last month. He has no weight and I could see him run a nice race and get placed."
Star rating: **
14 Mr Vango
DJ's view: Bumped into Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase so hardly surprising he couldn't cope. This is more his cup of tea. If the showers persist he is worth persevering with. Keith Melrose, our betting editor at the Racing Post, is all over him and he knows his staying chasers better than I know the numbers of my favourite dishes in my local Chinese takeaway.
Trainer's view: Sara Bradstock: "He'll keep galloping. Bottomless ground is the key to him – he loves it. I wasn't surprised how well he won at Exeter and I thought he ran really well at Cheltenham last time. I don't want the ground to dry out."
Star rating: ****
15 Autonomous Cloud
DJ's view: An emotional week for the stable after Paddy Brennan retired, and Jonathan Burke takes over on Autonomous Cloud in his absence. Was 9-2 for the Welsh National and 11-2 for the Midlands version. Didn't win either, but ran okay for a long way at Uttoxeter. Has a small squeak, but no more than that.
Trainer's view: Fergal O'Brien: "He's a slow-burner. He's lightly raced but is improving with time. He'll be lovely going forward next season with another summer under his belt. We're hoping for another good run and he's not there to make up the numbers; he's in great form and we've been very happy with him since Uttoxeter. Hopefully he can make his presence felt."
Star rating: **
16 Anglers Crag
DJ's view: On a roll. Has won his last four and somehow managed to keep the streak going in the Eider despite clattering two out. Hard to knock his claims and we may not have got to the bottom of him yet.
Trainer's view: Brian Ellison: "Everything has gone well since the Eider. He's been training well and I couldn't be happier with him. The ground won't be an issue and the Newcastle form has worked out well."
Star rating: ****
17 Inis Oirr
DJ's view: Young, improving staying chaser who is still only seven. Saves his best work for Musselburgh, but got within a neck of Mr Vango at Haydock in a maiden hurdle the season before last. Up a stone for winning last time, but rightly so as he did it by 21 lengths. How could you rule him out?
Trainer's view: Lucinda Russell: "It was a nice run in the Edinburgh National. We were keen to run him in the Midlands National, but it was too heavy. He has gone up in the weights since Musselburgh, but I still think there is a bit of value left in his mark."
Star rating: ****
18 My Silver Lining
DJ's view: What a gorgeous grey. She gives you everything and wears her heart on her sleeve. She will be up in the van throughout, but the worry is she could be vulnerable up the home straight off a career-high mark of 133.
Trainer's view: Emma Lavelle: "She's been an absolute star for us this year. She's gone up a reasonable amount in the weights, but is still carrying only 10st 3lb which I think is important in this type of race. I think she's in great form. I go there in hope rather than expectation, but we've every right to be there."
Star rating: ***
19 Git Maker
DJ's view: Bumping into Inothewayurthinkin in the Kim Muir was a bit like turning up to your local boozer for a friendly game of arrows on a Friday night and facing Luke Littler. You just don't expect to see him there and he shouldn't have been there in the first place. I can categorically state there are no Inothewayurthinkins in here so he must have strong claims.
Trainer's view: Jamie Snowden: "He's in great order. He came out of the Kim Muir well. The winner has since landed an Aintree Grade 1 and the form looks solid. He'll need a career-best, but should run a big race."
Star rating: ****
20 Surrey Quest
DJ's view: Seemed to have his limitations exposed in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase when last seen in January. Hard to fancy.
Trainer's view: Toby Lawes: "He's been progressive over fences and we've been keen to step him up to this sort of trip. He's enjoyed a great preparation and could improve further. He's exactly where we want him."
Star rating: *
21 Klarc Kent
DJ's view: Unlike a few of his stablemates, this member of the Closutton clan jumps like a buck. Can be enthusiastic early so Sean O'Keeffe will have to keep a lid on that.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "Klarc Kent is an old-fashioned chaser and should come into his own over four miles. He's a novice off a low weight but needs to improve."
Star rating: **
22 Whacker Clan
DJ's view: Doesn't do anything in a hurry, but 4m around Ayr will play to his strengths. Slow, but stays. Likely to be up there throughout and Rachael Blackmore is sure to get a decent tune out of him. Could see him finishing somewhere between third and seventh.
Jockey's view: Rachael Blackmore: "He has progressed really well this season and he ran a big race in the Kim Muir. He's in good form at home, he seems to have come out of Cheltenham well and I think that the step up to four miles could suit him."
Star rating: ***
23 Egbert
DJ's view: Lacks the experience and stamina for a race of this nature. Can't see it myself.
Trainer's view: Alan King: "This is the sort of race which will suit him. He won in a first-time visor at Doncaster but he jumped and travelled a lot better when we switched to blinkers at Kempton last time, producing a career-best performance to finish second to Slipway."
Star rating: *
24 Punitive
DJ's view: No. Just no. Regressive for Gordon Elliott and I can't see that slope getting less slippery. No.
Trainer's view: Peter Bowen: "He ran quite well at Ffos Las and has come on for it. The more it rains the better. The trip won't be an issue and he has run well in similar races in the past."
Star rating: *
25 Secret Reprieve
DJ's view: I would have fancied him for a race like this in around 2020. The problem is it's now 2024.
Trainer's view: Evan Williams: "Being out of the weights is far from ideal and he's not been in good form since his [2021] Welsh National win. Having said that, I am very happy with him. If he runs well I'll be delighted."
Star rating: *
26 We'llhavewan
DJ's view: Out of the handicap but not out of the equation. There are worse 33-1 shots around. Could sneak a place.
Assistant trainer's view: Patrick Mullins: "We'llhavewan is right down the bottom of the weights and Kieran [Callaghan] is claiming 5lb. He made a few errors at critical stages in the Irish National and didn't seem to get home. Even though it's a longer race the ground will be better and it's a flatter track. We put the cheekpieces back on and they might bring about a bit more improvement."
Star rating: ***
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Read these next:
2024 Scottish Grand National: the runners, the odds, the verdict
Who will win the 2024 Scottish Grand National based on previous trends?
2024 Scottish Grand National tips and predictions: why this horse can win at Ayr
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