Kim Roque narrowly heads the market for Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase after 21 declarations were made for the £200,000 race at Ayr.
Favourites and Contenders
Trained by Joseph Patrick O’Brien, the six-year-old Kim Roque has had just three starts in Britain and was last seen finishing fourth in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. The 22-1 winner that day, Ask Brewster, lines up here for Cath Williams, who recently took over the licence from her husband Evan Williams after he was sentenced to three years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Road To Home is Willie Mullins’ sole entry in a bid to land the race for the third time in a row, with his son Patrick in the saddle, having finished just a neck second to Ask Brewster at Cheltenham.
Emmet Mullins, who won the Irish National with Solider In Milan, saddles J’Arrive De L’Est with James Bowen booked for the ride, while Margaret Mullins sends out Blaze The Way under Danny Mullins.
King Of Answers is also prominent in the market, having stayed on well for second when stepped up in trip in the National Hunt Chase at the festival for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.
Other Notable Entries
Midlands National winner Isaac Des Obeaux is partnered by Sam Twiston-Davies, while Ultima third Quebecois is ridden by Harry Cobden, both representing Paul Nicholls.
JP McManus has one contender in the Tom Lacey-trained Montregard, who landed the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot in February.
Runners and Riders
- Blaze The Way Danny Mullins
- Quebecois Harry Cobden
- King of Answers Derek Fox
- Isaac des Obeaux Sam Twiston-Davies
- Our Power Danny Gilligan
- Road To Home Patrick Mullins
- Herakles Westwood James Bowen
- Ask Brewster Shane Cotter (7)
- Katate Dori Dylan Johnston
- Stolen Silver Olive Nicholls (5)
- Famous Bridge Sean Quinlan
- Montregard Stan Sheppard
- Maximilian William Maggs (3)
- Gabbys Cross Sean Bowen
- Kim Roque JJ Slevin
- Collectors Item Jonjo O’Neill Jr
- Git Maker Jonathan Burke
- Kap Vert Sean Houlihan
- Promontory Donagh Meyler
- Chasingouttheblues Jamie Hamilton
- Magna Sam Ciaran Gethings
Coral Scottish Grand National, 3.35 Ayr, Saturday.
Odds
Coral: 9-2 Kim Roque, 6 King Of Answers, 7 Quebecois, Road To Home, 10 Isaac Des Obeaux, Montregard, 11 Ask Brewster, 12 Chasingouttheblues, 14 bar.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Albert Einstein bids to bounce back from a below-par reappearance in the Group 3 Watership Down Stud-sponsored Greenham Stakes (2.00) at Newbury on Saturday.