Day two of the Scottish Grand National, as expected, sees Willie Mullins send everything bar the yard ducks to Ayr as he looks to secure his second UK trainers championship.

But can Dan Skelton pull off the impossible and hold off the Closutton juggernaut?

Find out here as I take you through all eight races on Scottish Grand National Day.

Get the best Scottish Grand National odds here with the best online horse racing bookmakers.

Ayr 1:10 Scotty Brand Handicap Chase – 2m½f (Premier Handicap) (5yo+)

Western Diego goes again without his usual hood and will need to find a bit more on his handicap debut. But coming from the all conquering Closutton stables, there is more than a chance he will find what is needed. But it can be worth siding with the defending TOMMY’S OSCAR.

He won last season’s renewal off a 1lb higher mark, and even though he has yet to win since, he looked as if he was in peak form before unseating Danny McMenamin at the third last at Aintree when still going well. He probably would not have won that day, but the unseat may be a blessing in disguise coming in here.

If Etalon were to rediscover the kind of form that saw him rack up a hat-trick last season, he would be a danger to all back on his last winning mark.

• Selection: Tommy’s Oscar 9/2
• Danger: Western Diego 7/2
• Current Betting: Western Diego 7/2, Tommy’s Oscar 9/2, Etalon 9/2, Traprain Law 5/1, Homme Public 6/1, 7/1 bar.

Bet on Tommy’s Oscar with Betfred

Ayr 1:43 CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase – 3m (Class 2) (5yo+)

Whistle Stop Tour has progressed nicely over fences this season but needs to leave behind a poor run at the Cheltenham Festival. His Scottish-based trainer is more than capable of having him back to his best here, so he is one to fear.

Even if Lucinda Russell can get him back, he might have his work cut out to contain what looks like a well handicapped LOUGHGLYNN. He makes his handicap chase debut off 143, but given how he has been running behind in his three starts to date, I would be shocked if he wasn’t more than capable of being better than this mark. He jumps, travels, and stays well, and if he gets into a rhythm out in front, they will find it hard to get past him in the closing stages.

Masaccio ran a massive race behind Jagwar at the Cheltenham Festival, but a further 2 lb rise for that run doesn’t make life easy here against some unexposed rivals. Pic Roc is also not out of this at the price.

• Selection: Loughglynn 9/2
• Danger: Whistle Stop Tour 4/1
• Current Betting: Masaccio 10/3, Whistle Stop Tour 4/1, Loughglynn 9/2, Eyed 6/1, Pic Roc 8/1, Ideal Des Bordes 10/1, Lord Of Thunder 12/1, 16/1 bar.

Bet on Loughglynn with SBK

Ayr 2:15 Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle – 2m (A Limited Handicap) (4yo+)

Ethical Diamond arrives on the back of a 4th place finish behind stablemate Kargese in the County Hurdle, while the Paul Nicholls-trained Kabral Du Marhan looks to have been laid out for this race. Both have their obvious chance, but it may be worth siding with the 5-year-old BUNTING, who has always promised to be better than what we have seen so far.

He made his handicap debut in the Coral Cup when he did too much on the front, eventually pulled up, and the drop back in trip looks like the right move here. There is every chance he can get away on his own up front, and if he does, we all know how good Danny Mullins is at making the most of front runners. Bunting has a massive each-way chance.

• Selection: Bunting 10/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Kabral Du Mathan 7/2
• Current Betting: Ethical Diamond 3/1, Kabral Du Mathan 7/2, Valgrand 11/2, Dysart Enos 8/1, Bunting 10/1, 12/1 bar.

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Ayr 2:55 UK Greentech Glasgow Seafield Trophy Mares’ Handicap Hurdle – 3m½f (4yo+)

A deep mares handicap hurdle takes centre stage before we move on to the main event. Lavida Adiva was an impressive winner of a listed mares hurdle at Kelso last month, and a further 6 lb rise in the weights may not be enough to stop her backing that up here, but she is short enough in the betting in a race of this nature. Rubys Island got the better of Lavida Adiva when they last met, but the latter had a bad trip that day and can be expected to get much closer here.

The one I will be siding with is THE LORD MAID. She was a good 2nd at Chepstow in a slightly lower grade, but that run promises that we have yet to see the best of this mare. She is only 1 lb higher for that run, and the extra furlong here is a plus for this unexposed mare. Musique De Fee is on the crest of a wave and has a place chance again off the same mark as last time.

• Selection: Lavida Adiva 4/1, Ruby Island 5/1, Armed And Fabulous 11/2, Rockola Vogue 13/2, Foxs Fancy 8/1, Musique De Fee 8/1, The Lord Maid 8/1, 10/1 bar.

Bet on The Lord Maid with bet365

Ayr 3:35 Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase – 4m (Premier Handicap) (4yo+)

Last season’s 1st and 2nd in Macdermott and Surrey Quest go head to head once again, and with only a nose separating them, a 1 lb swing in the weight for Surry Quest may be enough to get the better of his old foe, but it won’t be for the top spots this season.

Olympic Man and CAPTAIN CODY are the two that interest me the most, with only a slight preference for the latter.

Olympic Man is a talented gelding, and I am sure he is a lot better than his current mark, but he will only ever get to fulfil his true promise if he can get his jumping together. Even though Captain Cody comes here on the back of an UR in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, there is a feeling that this Grade 2 winning novice hurdler is about to peak. He also gets the added bonus of having Harry Cobden on his back, and given how Harry rides, this could be a match made in heaven.

Famous Bridge and Henry’s Friend are ones to fear at bigger prices.

• Selection: Captian Cody 12/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Olympic Man 9/1 (e/w)
• Current Betting: Chosen Witness 11/2, Macdermott 8/1, Olympic Man 9/1, Surry Quest 10/1, Rock My Way 10/1, Captain Cody 12/1, 14/1 bar.

Bet on Captain Cody with Paddy Power

Ayr 4:10 Stagecoach We’Ve Got You Novices’ Handicap Hurdle – 3m½f (4yo+ 0-135)

This is a good opportunity for top-weight C’EST TA CHANCE to return today to the winner’s enclosure. He has been well-fancied for all four of his runs this season, winning one, finishing 2nd to James’s Gate and then disappointing in his other two. But now that he is faced with a new trip on the back of a run that was better than his finishing position would suggest, C’Est Ta Chance can prove tough to beat.

The Nicky Henderson Calimystic won well at Doncaster and can prove the one to the selection most to think about.

• Selection: C’Est Ta Chance
• Danger: Calimystic

Bet on C’Est Ta Chance with Betfred

Ayr 4:45 Tennent’s Lager Novices’ Hurdle – 2m4½f (4yo+)

We should be treated to a good finish here with some promising horses on show. The Willie Mullins-trained Chart Topper missed out on his hat trick when unable to reel in Jet To Vegas (finished 7th in Grade 1 next time) in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Kelso. He has excellent claims coming here, but he might find it hard to get the better of the promising QUEENSBURY BOY.

This 6-year-old gelding has been impressive in both hurdle starts to date for Harry Derham and saw off a decent type in Captain Bellamy with ease at Newbury last time. If David Maxwell can sit tight and point him in the right direction, he should have more than enough to win this and take another step up the ladder.

Gale Mahler would be a danger if she could rediscover her best form on what is now an attractive looking mark, but she looks like a shell of the mare that won six in a row last year.

• Selection: Queensbury Boy
• Danger: Chart Topper

Bet on Queensbury Boy with SBK

About the author

Andrew Halligan

My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.

You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).

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