A total of 60 horses have been given an entry for this year’s running of the Coral Scottish Grand National, with last year’s winning trainer Willie Mullins increasing his entry from 10 horses in 2024 to 13 this time around.
Last year’s race resulted in a thrilling finish at the end of the 4 miles stamina test with the Mullins trained Macdermott getting home by a nose from Toby Lawes’ Surrey Quest and Macdermott’s rider Danny Mullins joining his uncle in winning Scotland’s premier jumps prize for the first time.
Last year’s first and second have both been entered for a potential return-match this year and the field could take on an even more familiar look with the 3rd and 4th placed horses from 12 months ago, Git Maker (Jamie Snowden) and Klarc Kent (Willie Mullins), both amongst the entries.
Mullins’ 13 horses entered for the Saturday, April 12 highlight also include last year’s 6th placed horse Spanish Harlem and amongst other notable names in the frame at this stage are the likely Aintree Grand National contenders (Saturday April 5) Three Card Brag (Gordon Elliott), Kandoo Kid (Paul Nicholls) and Hyland (Nicky Henderson).
Lucinda Russell trained the last Scottish winner of the race with Mighty Thunder in 2021 and the MIlnathort yard could be represented by Apple Away and Whistle Stop Tour, both of which have winning form at Ayr, with the last-named 7 year-old having finished third to Catch Him Derry in a handicap hurdle at last year’s Coral Scottish Grand National Festival.
The weights for this year’s race will be published next Wednesday, April 2, with the final field becoming known after 48 hour declarations are made on the morning of Thursday April 10.
The main supporting race on the Saturday card is the £100,000 Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle over 2 miles with a high-class entry headed by Nicky Henderson’s mare Joyeuse, 6th behind Lossiemouth in the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and previously the winner of the William Hurdle at Newbury, one of the most competitive handicaps of the season.
Ewan Whillans has entered his dual Morebattle Hurdle (Kelso) winner Cracking Rhapsody and there’s also an entry for the Willie Mullins trained Absurde, winner of a County Hurdle at Cheltenham, an Ebor Handicap on the Flat at York and a horse which has also placed 7th, then 5th in the last two runnings of the Melbourne Cup in Australia.
This year’s meeting will be staged on Friday April 11 and Saturday April 12 with coverage of Saturday’s main races live on ITV Racing.
