2012 result

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King of the Coral Scottish Grand National
20/04/13

1 Godsmejudge 12/1
2 Big Occasion 12/1
3 Mister Marker 25/1
4 Tour Des Champs 25/1
NR: Rose Of The Moon (IRE), Silver By Nature
24 ran Distances: 4l, 9l, 2¾l
TIME 8m 31.20s (slow by 29.20s)

Alan King was the proudest man at Ayr Racecourse on Saturday when Godsmejudge crossed the line a four length winner of the Coral Scottish Grand National.

Wayne Hutchison & Alan King
© ayr-racecourse.co.uk

The Wiltshire based, Bellshill born trainer worked as an assistant at Cree Lodge Stables just yards from the Ayr track in the late 1980s and said he felt as if he was 'coming home' when he went up to receive the magnificent trophy.

Jockey Wayne Hutchison had his horse in from a long way out and oozed confidence as he turned into the home straight.

The smiling jockey said : "I knew it was in the bag when we turned in and I just kept concentrating. It was a great feeling. Superb."

And Alan King added : "I love this meeting. I have been lucky enough to win a lot of big races, Queen Mothers and the Champion Hurdle and this is right up there with those."

All the hype before the race surrounded the Aintree winner Aurora's Encore and jockey Ryan Mania but the horse was pulled up five out and Mania said afterwards : "Today everything went wrong. He was almost brought down at the second fence and after that he was always looking after himself."

A record crowd of 18,300 packed the stands and sold up signs went up on both the Club Enclosure and in Hospitality.

The main supporting race, the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle was won by Court Minstrel, trained in the Vale of Glamorgan by Evan Williams and ridden by conditional jockey Adam Wedge.

And there was a bumper near £40,000 prize for Netminder's Borders trainer Sandy Thomson and jockey Peter Buchanan when they landed the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Novices Handicap Chase

Friday's highlight was the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase which was won by Bocciani, ridden by Tom Scudamore . The 6/1 chance won by five lengths from Mr Moonshine and Ryan Mania.

Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
£180,000 added, 5yo plus, 4m 110y, Class 1
24 ran
Going: Good (Good to Soft in places)

Coral SGN Facts

• The Scottish Grand National was first run as the West of Scotland Grand National at a course near Houston, Renfrewshire from 1858 until 1866
• The course in 1858 consisted of 32 jumps, mostly stone walls
• In 1867 after objections from the minister of the Free Kirk of Houston the race moved to Bogside, Irvine and was still known as the West of Scotland Grand National
• The first winner at Bogside was The Elk, owned by the Duke of Hamilton and ridden by John Page
• In 1869 Hunstman become the first and only Irish trained winner of the race
• In 1880 the race title was changed to The Scottish Grand National and was won by Peacock
• Charlie Cunningham, known as Scotland's greatest jockey, won the race four times in 1881, 1885, 1887 and 1889
• The winning horse in 1867 won £100, increasing to £440 by 1906, £1030 ion 1950, £5,436 in 1963 and this year's top prize is £102,618
• The first television coverage of the Scottish National was in 1953 on BBC and it was also shown in 1954 but then wasn't screened again until 1969 on ITV and it has been shown live ever since and moved to Channel 4 in 1986
• In 1966 the race moved to Ayr when Bogside closed and the first winner was African Patrol trained at Selkirk by Bobby Fairbairn and ridden by Johnny Leech
• Red Rum won the Scottish Grand National in 1974 just a couple of weeks after landing his second Aintree success
• Five horses have won the race twice the most recent being Androma in 1984 and 1985
• Richard Johnson has ridden in the race 13 times but never won, he has finished third on four occasions and fourth twice
• Merigo became the first Scottish trained horse to win the race since Cockle Strand in 1982