Following the annual national punting event at Aintree, the Scottish racecourse of Ayr immediately springs into view with the next titanic staying chase on the British Racing calendar. Just one week after the Merseyside equivalent, the Scottish Grand National sees the runners and riders lock horns over a marathon four-mile trip, with 27 obstacles standing in their way of glory and the lion’s share of the £200,000 prize pool.
26 runners go to post in the 2024 edition, with the tight race for the British Trainers’ Championship providing an intriguing subplot to the race. Having already landed the Irish Trainers’ Championship, Willie Mullins holds the lead in Britain following the success of I Am Maximus at Aintree. Keen to become the first overseas winner of the British title since Vincent O’Brien, Mullins sends six in pursuit of Scotland’s biggest prize. However, close pursuers Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton are also represented – a win for either could see them snatch the lead heading into the final week of the season.
Scottish Grand National: Confirmed Field of Runners and Riders
| Number | Horse | Jockey | Trainers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stay Away Fay | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2 | Mr Incredible | Mr P W Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 3 | Elvis Main | Bruce Lynn | Nick Alexander |
| 4 | Beauport | Jordan Nailor | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 5 | Ontheropes | Bryan Hayes | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Spanish Harlem | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 7 | Gold Cup Bailly | J J Slevin | S R B Crawford |
| 8 | Iron Bridge | Jonjo O’Neill Jr | Jonjo O’Neill |
| 9 | Whistleinthedark | Danny McMenamin | Laura Morgan |
| 10 | Ballygrifincottage | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 11 | Macdermott | Willie Mullins | Danny Mullins |
| 12 | Tommie Beau | Micheal Nolan | Seamus Mullins |
| 13 | Broken Halo | Bryony Frost | Paul Nicholls |
| 14 | Mr Vango | Ben Jones | Mrs Sara V Bradstock |
| 15 | Autonomous Cloud | Jonathan Burke | Fergal O’Brien |
| 16 | Anglers Crag | Henry Brooke | Brian Ellison |
| 17 | Inis Orr | Derek Fox | Lucinda Russell |
| 18 | My Silver Lining | James Best | Emma Lavelle |
| 19 | Git Maker | Gavin Sheehan | Jamie Snowden |
| 20 | Surrey Quest | Toby Lawes | Kevin Brogan |
| 21 | Klarc Kent | Sean O’Keeffe | Wilie Mullins |
| 22 | Whacker Clan | Rachael Blackmore | Henry De Bromhead |
| 23 | Egbert | Brendan Powell | Alan King |
| 24 | Punitive | William Maggs | Peter Bowen |
| 25 | Secret Reprieve | James Turner | Evan Williams |
| 26 | We’llhavewan | Kieran Callaghan | Willie Mullins |
Highlights
Following the recent events at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, it is easy to believe that Irish-trained runners sweep all before them whenever they target a major British prize. However, that certainly hasn’t been the case in the Scottish Grand National, which has avoided Irish clutches since 1869. That record may be under serious threat in 2024. Rarely have the Irish boasted such a strong hand in the jumping highlight of the Scottish season.
With his eyes focused on a first British Trainers’ Championship, Willie Mullins leads the charge in sending over a six-strong Closutton attack. Macdermott is the most popular in the betting, with a wave of money propelling the son of Saint Des Saints into favouritism in the week leading up to the race. If the mount of Danny Mullins comes home in front, not only will he break the Irish hoodoo, but we will become the joint youngest winner in Scottish Grand National history. An impressive winner last time out at Fairyhouse and one of the least exposed runners in the field, it’s easy to see why he is proving popular.
Elsewhere in the Mullins sextet, Mr Incredible will hope to fare better than when unseating Bryan Hayes at The Chair last weekend. Spanish Harlem is only the third shortest price of the Mullins team but is the choice of number one jockey Paul Townend; making only his fourth chase start, he may prove well handicapped if handling this big step up in distance. We’llhavewan finished a solid sixth in the Irish Grand National last time out and gets in off bottom weight, whilst Klarc Kent and Ontheropes will likely need a career-best effort to be involved.
The shortest-priced British contenders are Git Maker, who chased home the extremely well-handicapped Inothewayurthinkin in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, and Brian Ellison’s Eider Chase winner Anglers Crag. An eight-pound hike demands more from Anglers Crag, but he arrives seeking a five-timer and may have more to come.
Returning to the race for the trainer’s title, Paul Nicholls sends Broken Halo and Stay Away Fay into battle as he bids to win this race for a fourth time. Grade 1 winner Stay Away Fay boasts the more obvious claims but will be saddled with the top weight of 12st. Dan Skelton has just one entry in the shape of the classy but fragile Ballygrifincottage. Looking like a surefire Graded race performer a couple of seasons ago, this horse has had multiple issues but ran well enough last time to suggest he could be well-handicapped if rediscovering his old sparkle.
Others to note include Henry De Bromhead’s Whacker Clan, who adds further weight to the Irish challenge, Inis Oirr, who bids to provide Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox with some compensation following the first fence fall of Corach Rambler at Aintree, and Nigel Twiston-Davies Midlands Grand National champ, Beauport.
