Day two of the 2025 Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr is the highlight on Saturday, with lots of competitive handicaps for racing fans to enjoy.
The card features a whole host of raiders from Irish powerhouse Willie Mullins, who is trying to amass as much prize-money as possible in his quest for back-to-back British trainers’ titles.
Our expert, Harry Wilson, has a trio of selections on the card, including one in the feature race, one in the second, and another in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle on the card.
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Saturday’s horse racing tips
- 13:43 Ayr – Whistle Stop Tour @ 4/1 with talkSPORT BET
- 14:15 Ayr – Ethical Diamond @ 5/2 with talkSPORT BET
- 15:35 Ayr – Hasthing @ 14/1 with talkSPORT BET
13:43 Ayr – Whistle Stop Tour
Willie Mullins landed the CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase last year with Sharjah and relies solely on Loughlynn for the 2025 edition.
A Grade 2 winner as a novice hurdler, Loughlynn has had just three starts over fences, all in beginners’ chases, and warrants respect on his handicap debut for powerful connections.
However, he may have to play second fiddle to local trainer Lucinda Russell, who looks sure to have a big say with Whistle Stop Tour.
The seven-year-old can be excused for pulling up in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival last month as he was badly hampered by a faller at the first fence, going from holding a nice position to being in the rear, and he just couldn’t recover in a race in which his stablemate made all.
I’d taken note of Whistle Stop Tour the start before when he stayed on for fifth under a patient ride in a strong novice contest over an inadequate distance (2m4½f), shaping as though he’d benefit from returning to a longer trip.
He’d won both his starts at around 3m since going chasing before that, improving 20lb on Racing Post Ratings from his best hurdle form, which was achieved in his two starts at this track, and he is viewed as a long-term candidate for the Grand National.
Connections have opted for this contest rather than the Scottish National, which he held an entry for, and I’d be surprised if a rating of 136 proved to be his ceiling.
14:15 Ayr – Ethical Diamond
The Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle has to be considered one of the most competitive races on the card.
Willie Mullins is mob-handed, with four runners in the 12-strong field, and his Ethical Diamond appeals most.
The County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival was a steadily run affair and those who raced closer to the pace were always going to be favoured, so Ethical Diamond, who was held up in rear, emerged with plenty of credit.
He made up plenty of ground to be beaten just three and three-quarter lengths behind Kargese and has been preferred for this contest over that stablemate and County Hurdle third Absurde, who both featured in the entries.
A useful Flat horse, he finished fourth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot last June on good to firm ground, so has no issues with the surface, and he could be hard to beat off just 1lb higher than last time if having more use made of him here (career-best came from the front).
15:35 Ayr – Hasthing
Willie Mullins saddled the 1-4-5-6 in the Scottish Grand National last year and runners from the powerhouse trainer dominate the market for the feature this time.
However, first-time cheekpieces could work wonders for Hasthing and he is preferred for Jonjo and AJ O’Neill.
He stayed on from what looked an almost impossible position to land a competitive 2m6f event at Windsor in January on soft ground before looking a touch outpaced at Ascot next time, both runs suggesting he might be suited by a proper test of stamina.
Hasthing was given the opportunity of trying a marathon trip in the National Hunt Chase and was just seven lengths down and closing on the second when falling at the final fence, despite not having things go his way during the race.
The Racing Post Ratings indicate that he has the form to win off his current mark if putting in an error-free round of jumping and while softer ground would be preferable, he’ll cope just fine on a quicker surface.
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