Scottish Grand National Guide 2022

His heroics in the Ultima last season were marvellous to see for an 11 year old horse power up the Cheltenham hill.
The handicapper has gripped I’m since however and he’s run poorly this season at a rising age of 12.

He still retains a mark of 144 and finds himself second in the weights here despite poor showings this season.

He pulled up last time out in the Ultima but has run well in this race before to be 3rd back in 2018. However, he is likely to give way to younger legs.

Another runner for Alan King in the shape of Fidux. The 9 year old chaser is very well experienced having a total of 51 runs under rules over hurdles, fences and on the flat.

A listed winner over hurdles, he took well to fences but has mainly been successful at intermediate trips. He has won over 3 miles however and got the best of Bbold at Worcester last summer.

He has run well enough in staying chases this season but looks to have a bit to find on form and a mark of 142 looks stiff enough.

The 11 year old Prime Venture only had 5 career victories to his name and has only won 4 times over obstacles. Winning twice over fences, he won as a novice back in November of 2020 and then scored again this season at Sandown.

A good 4th in the 2019 Welsh National made him look like a strong staying chaser but he failed to kick on from there.

Poor runs in feature staying races have followed. Pulled up in the Midlands National in 2020 he was then a well beaten 15th in the race last year.

Although winning off a mark of 130 at Sandown earlier in the season, he’s been well beaten since and a mark of 135 probably has his measure.

David Pipe’s 10 year old is a well established staying chaser. Spending most of his career over in France, the gelding only recently moved over to the care of Pipe.

A Grade 3 chaser winner over in France, connections clearly had the grand national in mind as he ran in the Grand Sefton , coming 4th and then unseating in the Becher when hampered by a faller.

This year he’s won twice in low grade affairs over 3 miles, shaping well and winning handily. Connections seem assured of his stamina and he might just go well if granted a clean round.

Outsider Strong Economy failed to win in his first stint over fences but a switch in yard brought about some improvement and he managed to win a few low level handicaps.

A remote 6th in last season’s Eider Chase, he’s had a poor season and looks like he’ll struggle to get competitive. He failed to get home in the Scottish Borders National.

Only rated 117, he’s also 4lbs out of the handicap here.

Wearing the green and gold of J P McManus, Chirico Vallis is a well experienced sort for Neil Mulholland.

Successful three times over fences, the 10 year old gelding has won over both intermediate trips and staying trips. Scoring a win over Kitty’s Light at the start of the season.

He's failed to win since however with the handicapper swiping at him to the tune of 5lbs but he has run very well in defeat both times.

He’s yet to try this kind of trip but managed to outstay Kitty’s Light at Chepstow in a real duel.

Ten year old Innisfree Lad was a valiant 3rd in the Becher chase behind Win My Wings back in February despite a campaign that left a lot to be desired.

He seems to go best in marathon trips and ran well to be 3rd in the Scottish Borders National last year. He did score over 3 miles and 2 furlongs this season but with poor runs in between he looks hard to catch on song.

Maybe best over these long trips, he could go well again and dropped 1lb after his run up in Newcastle.

Ian Jardine’s experienced 10 year old is a proven staying chaser. Coming a respectable 5th in this race last year off a mark of 131, he stayed on well but couldn’t quite get competitive.

His last win over fences came over eventual Grand Annual winner Sky Pirate. This season he’s been very consistent finishing in the first 4 home in all of his starts.

Sent off favourite for his last run over 2 miles and 6 furlongs he was outpaced by Glen Forsa. Going back over further should help and he’s 6lbs lower than a good run in this last year.

Oliver Sherwood’s Jersey Bean was a smart novice hurdler but has done better since switching to fences.

Last season saw him pick up an impressive 3 victories as a novice chaser all over staying trips, showing strong stamina and winning over as far as 3 miles and 2 furlongs.

This season he’s been lightly raced. Running twice only, a pipe opener in October teed him up for a good run to win at Haydock over 3.5 miles in November.

Stamina looks assured and he’s been freshened up for this. A mark of 140 is a career high however.

Michael Scudamore brings Court Master up north off the back of a solid outing in the Eider Chase last time out.

Coming 4th he didn’t quite seem to stay the full 4 miles at Newcastle. He failed to win over hurdles but took to chasing very well and won his first two starts over fences.

He’s been consistent enough over staying trips this season but he looked to lack the necessary stamina in the Eider Chase last time out and might struggle in the latter stages of this race.

Nine year old The Ferry Master represents Sandy Thompson and ran a blinder to be 4th in this race last year off a mark of 133.

This season has seen him unable to win however and he hasn’t struck over fences since his novice campaign when winning twice over 3 miles at Kelso.

Three poor runs this season were improved upon last time out but that effort saw him beaten when odds on at Newbury in a 3 runner affair.

Arrives 6lbs lower than last year so has a good chance to go close again.

Carrying top weight, Sandy Thompson’s 9 year old began to struggle for form under Nigel Twiston-Davies but has found a new lease of life since moving up north.

Most notably this season coming a very close 2nd to Snow Leopardess in the Becher chase at Aintree by a nose. Since then he has placed in two listed races over 3 miles but pulled up at Chepstow in the Welsh National. ]

He has a good chance based on his run in the Becher but he’s climbed to a career high mark.

Olly Murphy’s 8 year old looks to have a decent chance here. A decent enough novice hurdler, he’s taken a step forward this season over fences.

Winning only once last season left something to be desired but he ran well in defeat a few times. He’s been much more lightly raced this season and has run well in Class 2 handicaps.

Coming a close 2nd last time out in the Edinburgh National, the plan has seemingly always been to come here.

Improving over fences this season he could yet exploit a mark of 139.

A winner at this meeting 12 months ago, One More Fleurie stormed to victory in a novice handicap chase here last year.

He’s failed to win since for Ian Williams however and the 8 year old has had a very stop start campaign. Well beaten on seasonal debut, he then pulled up in the Ladbrokes Trophy.

Only managing 17th in the Ultima off a break looks to give him plenty to find but he’ll shape fitter for that outing and has soon a fondness of this track before.

He does have stamina for 3 miles but will have to prove himself over this trip.

Fergal O’Brien sends up his 8 year old novice chaser for this off the back of a consistent enough first campaign over fences.

A decent staying hurdler, he’s run well multiple times over fences this season in small runner fields but has only managed to win once. Unseating in his only race that had a big field.

Winning a chase at 1/9 beating two rivals doesn't inspire lots of confidence, but he does shape like a long trip could bring out some improvement.

Dan and Harry Skelton team up with 8 year old Ashtown Lad. A relatively unassuming novice hurdler last season, he only managed to win once over timber over 3 miles at Uttoxeter in handicap company.

He took to fences well however and won at the first time of asking over 3 miles. He’s been pitched into graded company twice since and has found himself well beaten by an impressive Ahoy Senor.

He’s run to a decent level on his last two outings and a handicap mark of 140 could be exploitable. He does have stamina to prove though.

Irish raider Stormy Judge comes over for a try here in Ayr. A handy novice chaser last season for connections saw him pick up 2 wins over fences, looking by far his best when upped to staying trips on his last try as a novice.

Coming back from a long break saw him run poorly over hurdles this season before a better effort last time out to be 5th in the Leinster National.

He has some stamina to prove and weakened out of things late as Naas last time out.

John McConnell’s charge looked a smart staying hurdler and even scored a win over Flooring Porter in a handicap in late 2020.

Unable to step up in grade over timber he was sent chasing and won at the first time of asking last summer. He’s struggled since however.

Being unable to back up his win in a handicap, he failed to finish on his next outing and was well beaten at Cheltenham in the Brown Advisory.

He has class and stamina to prove and his jumping at Cheltenham last month was poor.

Sporting the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, Alan King’s 7 year old only managed to score once over hurdles when going over 3 miles for the first time.

Taken to novice chasing this season, he’s taken to fences much better and took his first two starts over the bigger obstacles well.

Last seen coming 2nd at Newbury, he stayed on well and could relish this longer trip.

Sons of Scorpion tend to have their quirks however.

Representing the same connections as Via Dolorosa. A similar profile to his stablemate, El Paso Wood made the switch over from France this season too and debuted in the Becher Chase behind Snow Leopardess where he unseated.

Winning over 3 and a quarter miles since, it's his only win over fences this season. Being beaten in handicaps on a variety of grounds since.

Last seen running well enough in the Midlands Grand National, he came a distant 4th to claim a place at a big price.

A more patient ride might see him get closer and he’s dropped 6lbs for that effort.

Christian William’s 6 year old gelding showed his stamina at the end of last season being an agonising 2nd in the Bet365 Gold Cup.

Showing plenty of stamina that day, he has failed to kick on from that this season and has failed to win in any of his 6 starts this campaign.

This has seen his handicap mark fall to an attractive looking 143 and a good 2nd last time out in a Grade 3 shows he could be coming back to form.

The marathon trip should suit.

Another Irish Raider for Peter Fahey, History Of Fashion failed to win over hurdles last season but the winning point to pointer has fared better over fences this season.

Running in a deep novice chase that featured Diol Ker and Jungle Boogie saw him unseat before winning a handicap chase next time out. Unseating early in the Eider chase was unfortunate but he ran well last time out over 3 miles.

Connections seem keen to get him in one of these staying chases but he has stamina to prove and has only won once over fences.

An improving novice chaser for Nigel Twiston-Davies, Fantastikas has some decent form in the books this season.

Winning on his first start over fences, he then ran well behind Threeunderthrufive and L’Homme Presse in graded events.

Finally getting his head in front in a conditions race at Lingfield on deep ground in a tight finish. Last seen running well in the Ultima, he was a respectable 7th but weakened late on.

His stamina isn’t assured here.

This mare has suddenly sprung to prominence as a strong staying chaser.

Her form had been relatively lacklustre for the majority of her career but she proved at the end of last season that she does stay long trips well.

She came from the clouds to win over 3 miles at Exeter back in January before relishing the marathon trip at Newcastle to win the Eider Chase last time out.

She climbs to 140 in the ratings but the booking of a 7lb claimer looks a smart move by Williams and she’s got the proven stamina and class.