AYR, SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2005

3.25pm £120,000 THE GALA CASINOS DAILY RECORD SCOTTISH GRAND NATIONAL 4m 1f

1st (15) Joes Edge 20-1
2nd (5) Cornish Rebel 9-2
3rd (22) Another Rum 10-1
4th (6) Double Honour 20-1
20 ran
Also: 4-1 Fav Comply Or Die
NR: The Bajan Bandit, Malek, Smarty

Joes Edge just got the better of Cornish Rebel to land a thrilling renewal of the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday afternoon.

Keith Mercer produced Ferdy Murphy's charge (20-1) with a well-timed run and then fought out an epic battle with Ruby Walsh on Cornish Rebel (9-2) up the run-in, landing the prize by a short head.

Another Rum (10-1) took third spot a further 10 lengths away, with Double Honour (20-1), who led the field into the home straight, in fourth

Past winners of this four mile one furlong handicap chase have included some high-class staying chasers.

Since the contest was relocated in 1966 from Bogside to Ayr some notable victors include Red Rum, trained by Ginger McCain, in 1974, Little Polveir 13 years later, Earth Summit in 1994 and Grey Abbey last season.

Three of these winners also scored in the Grand National at Aintree during the course of their racing careers - Red Rum on three occasions in 1973, 1974 and 1977, Little Polveir in 1989 and most recently, Earth Summit in 1998.

Since 1987 every single winner of the Scottish contest had been placed in the first three at some time earlier in the season.

Of the 23 declared runners, Hussard Collonges, Gingembre, A Piece Of Cake and Supreme Glory are immediately discounted as none of this quartet have managed to finish in the first three during 2004/5.

A horse with plenty of stamina is required to win a Scottish Grand National. The last 18 successful horses in the race had all previously won over three miles at some stage of their career. Joes Edge has not won at three miles and he is eliminated.

Fourteen of the last 18 winners carried 11st 2lb or less to victory. The four exceptions were Young Kenny (11st 10lb) in 1999, Belmont King (11st 10lb) in 1997, Run For Free (11st 10lb) in 1993 and Grey Abbey (11st 12lb).

Top-weight on 11st 12lb Take The Stand will have difficulties overcoming this burden and he disappears from the reckoning.

Nine of the last 18 winners were eight or nine-years-old, including five of the eight most recent scorers.

Six-year-old Comply Or Die and seven-year-olds Double Honour, Control Man and Another Rum are all eliminated, together with 10-year-olds Chives, The Bajan Bandit and Kerry Lads and veterans Legal Right and Smarty, a pair both aged 12.

Eleven of the last 18 winners were relatively fancied, being returned at 12/1 or less, including seven of the last eight.

Stormez, Iris Bleu, Colourful Life, Malek and Lord Jack are all priced at least 14/1 with and they are disqualified.

14 of the last 18 winners of this great race raced before April on their previous start. Longshanks raced only last Friday at Aintree and these exertions are expected to take their toll.

This leaves Codebreaker with the choice between Philson Run and Cornish Rebel.

It is not easy deciding which to favour but a horse from out of the handicap has not won since 1998, Philson Run, winner of the Midlands Grand National, in March is 5lb wrong and therefore has more to do than CORNISH REBEL.

Cornish Rebel, Best Mate’s brother, came third in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham last month and will be suited by this longer distance and the good ground

Past Trends

all of the last 18 winners were placed in the first three at least once earlier in the campaign

all of the last 18 winners have won over three miles at some stage of their career

14 of the last 18 winners carried 11st 2lb or less to victory

9 of the last 18 winners were eight or nine-years-old, including five of the eight most recent scorers

All Eyes on the Weather at Ayr
13/04/05
Trainers with horses entered in Friday and Saturday’s Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr were last night keeping one eye on the weather to see if forecasters got it right.

Ayr Clerk of the Course Anthea Morshead was told by the Met Office that around 10 millimetres of rain would fall between lunchtime yesterday and early afternoon today.

With the going at the Craigie track currently good to soft, soft in places that amount of rain would see a change to soft ground.

Anthea said: "Its all down to whether the forecasters are right. At the moment the back straight is a bit softer than the home straight but that is normal. We are forecast dry weather from Thursday afternoon onwards with Friday set to be dry and bright and Saturday dry and cloudy but very still.""

"I’ve been inundated with trainers calling me and I’m sure we’ll have very good entries on both days."

The meeting is full of side issues - can Ruby Walsh win the ‘Grand Slam’ of Grand Nationals?, can Trevor Hemmings (owner of Aintree Grand National winner Hedgehunter) make it a double with Chives? and can Paul Nicholls overtake Martin Pipe in the race for the National Hunt Trainers title?

In addition to these conundrums Ayr has added its own with the last two days of the course’s jump season deciding who will win the respective prizes for top trainer and jockey for 2004-2005 at the track.

The trainers title seems a straight fight between Nicky Richards and Lucinda Russell - Nicky leads by 71 points to 57 with Lenny Lungo trailing on 31. Points are awarded in each race and in the chase for the jockeys crown Peter Buchanan is on 75 with Tony Dobbin on 68. Third place Brian Harding is a massive 38 points behind Dobbin.

Anthea Morshead added: "It’s all so intriguing - there is everything to play for with the Pipe - Nicholls battle and also our own little competition. It all makes for some great sport."

Grey Abbey out of Scottish Grand National
Monday April 11, 2005

Grey Abbey will miss the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

The absence of the popular front-running gelding means the weights are set to rise significantly with Take The Stand and Royal Auclair also unlikely to feature.

Trainer Howard Johnson told the Racing Post: "He's finished for the season - he's done plenty. He seems fine and we will monitor things during the summer. We would look at something like the Charlie Hall. We might go for the Lexus in Ireland, where he would get soft ground."

Grey Abbey Top Weight for Scottish Grand National
Thursday March 24, 2005

LAST year’s winner Grey Abbey heads the weights for the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National to be run at Ayr on Saturday April 16 after being allocated 11st 12lb.

There are 94 entries, the same as last year at this stage and shock 40/1 Cheltenham winner Another Rum, an Ayr course specialist is entered but will have to rely on a lot of horses higher in the weights coming out as it is down to carry only 8st 8lb.

Other notable entries include last year’s runner-up Kerry Lads (8st 13lb), Cheltenham Gold Cup runner up Take The Stand (11st 9lb) and Martin Pipe’s highly regarded Comply Or Die (10st 7lb), Paul Nicholls Cornish Rebel (10st 4lb) and Sue Smith’s Chives (10st 8lb).

The race carries £120,690 in added prizemoney – and a record £70,000 will go to the winner.

Ayr’s clerk of the course Anthea Morshead said : “I am delighted with the high entry – it compares well with our entries in recent years at this stage. It is also encouraging to see all the top trainers represented and I am sure we are in for a great race once again.”

The two day Scottish National meeting carries record prizemoney of £431,690 and the main supporting race on the Saturday card, the Samsung Electronics Scottish Champion Hurdle has £60,000 of a prize fund and a £34,800 prize for the winner.

Other highlights on Saturday include The Ashleybank Investments Future Champion Chase (£40,000) and the Albert Bartlett and Sons Handicap Chase (£30,000. Friday’s card features the £30,000 added Gala Casinos Daily Record Mares’ Only Handicap Hurdle and the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase with £20,000 added.

There are seven races on Friday with the first one at 2.20 and eight on Saturday with the opener at 1.45 pm.

Ayr Racecourse Managing Director Richard Johnstone said : “This is the richest two days jumps racing in Scotland and we have a £60,000 increase in prizemoney this year – a 16.6% rise on last year.

“We covet the Scottish Grand National Festival and by increasing the money on offer we are underlining the importance of this meeting to everyone at Ayr.”

Bookings can be made online at www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk or by telephone on 0870-850566.individuals booking more than seven days in advance receive a 10% discount while parties of 20 or more will be given 20% off the cost.