With the British trainers championship out of reach this season, Willie Mullins has largely kept his better horses at home post-Cheltenham.
That still did not stop him from winning another Grand National crown, with I Am Maximus emulating Red Rum in regaining his title. He’s the man for the big races.
As the focus shifts from Aintree to Ayr, however, the legendary Irish trainer might still be capable of winning a third successive Coral Scottish Grand National on Saturday.
ROAD TO HOME (14-1, Coral) is the sole entry from Closutton for the £200,000 prize and the runner-up in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival looks a young progressive horse that relishes marathon trips on decent ground.
He has a strikingly similar profile to previous winners from the Mullins yard in Captain Cody and Macdermott. Hopefully, he takes his chance.
The form of the Kim Muir is already working out reasonably well. Monbeg Genius was third that day and has been a credible fifth in the Irish National since.
Willie Mullins with the Grand National trophy after I Am Maximus won at Aintree
I Am Maximus (white cap) won the National and Mullins may taste for success at Ayr
KIM ROQUE (12-1, Coral) is owned by Ronnie Bartlett and he was fourth in the Kim Muir. That effort can be upgraded as he raced off the pace in a race where it paid to be handy. It’s understandable that the Joseph O’Brien-trained horse is vying for favouritism.
The yard also showed their wellbeing with Home By The Lee winning the Liverpool Hurdle and Jordans running a mighty race in third in the Grand National.
Those would be the two at the top of the shortlist for the 60th running of the Scottish Grand National.
King Of Answers is trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, whose runners always garner support at Ayr.
He was a very good second in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and is proving popular with punters.
Race sponsors Coral make him favourite and representative for the bookmaker David Stevens said: ‘Lucinda Russell is a former winner of the Coral Scottish National, scoring with Mighty Thunder five years ago, and punters have been quick to put their faith in King Of Answers repeating that success, to give Scotland another home victory in its biggest race.’
There was a disconcerting midweek bulletin by Russell on King Of Answers, however. The trainer told The Racing Post that King Of Answers hadn’t fully got over his Cheltenham exertions just yet.
That is definitely something to be mindful of going forward.
The Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle is always a terrific two-mile handicap and perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson can have a winner here as part-owner of UN SENS A LA VIE (12-1, Coral).
Sir Alex Ferguson enjoys the action this week at Aintree and could have a winner at Ayr
Trained by Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, this six-year-old is very unexposed and has some very good form that suggests a handicap mark of 130 can be exploited.
Un Sens A La Vie was a three-length second to Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Old Park Star. He then ran really well in the valuable William Hill Handicap Hurdle when fourth on really testing ground in February.
He’s been freshened up for this and he looks a very exciting horse going forward. He’s the early play in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK… IT takes something truly special to regain the Grand National crown but that is what I AM MAXIMUS achieved.
The modern Grand National rewards horses with class and the weight isn’t as significant a burden as it can be. The 10-year-old trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend produced a withering run on the outside to prevail in a thrilling race.
