Two tips for the Scottish Grand National

Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell has her string in such fine form that she might win a race at Ayr this weekend if she entered the stable cat. From her five runners at Aintree last weekend, she ended up with two wins, two seconds and a sixth – quite an achievement.

Pride of place went, of course, to Corach Rambler who landed the Randox Grand National. No tipster rightly gets many plaudits for putting up the favourite in a big race but I am pleased to say that loyal Spectator Life readers were put on him before Christmas – three and a half months before the race – at 20-1.

Of course, I put up some losers too but Penworthy followers certainly showed a nice profit – 19 points overall – on the Grand National to recommended bets. Onwards and upwards to… the Coral Scottish Grand National.

I am not going to desert Lucinda Russell this weekend as she loves bringing some of her best horses from her base in Perth & Kinross to Ayr, some 80 miles away, for the course’s two-day spring meeting. In fact, I am very happy to back both her horses each way in the Scottish National, a contest over four miles, even though they have very different profiles for the race.

As a novice chaser – that’s a first season tackling the larger obstacles – YOUR OWN STORY is open to plenty of improvement now and going forward. He is a true stayer too having won at Wetherby in March over a trip just a furlong short of four miles.

He is a sound jumper and is nicely handicapped off a rating of 127, meaning he will be one of the bottom weights tomorrow. Derek Fox, fresh from his Aintree win on Corach Rambler, will be in the saddle and should be able to do the light weight. I suggest backing Your Own Story each way at 8-1, six places, with one of several bookmakers, including bet365, William Hill, Betfred, Paddy Power and Betfair.

Russell’s other horse in the race, MIGHTY THUNDER, is a veteran at ten years old. He won this very race two years ago off a rating of 144 and can now race off a rating of just 125, after two poor years on the track and some breathing issues that required wind surgery.

However, his last run at Kelso last month was more promising than most of his recent efforts and he will have the benefit of young Patrick Wadge, superb value for his 5lbs claim, in the saddle. This gelding is also a good jumper who will relish the quick-ish ground. Back him each way too at 25-1, six places, with bet365.

There are plenty of dangers in the race, including the two horses at the head of the market: Kitty’s Light and Monbeg Genius. Both have strong chances but I wouldn’t touch either with the proverbial barge pole at their current prices of 5-1 or less in a competitive 23-runner marathon contest.

Kitty’s Light is still well handicapped on his best form of last season and was second in this race a year ago to his stablemate, Win My Wings. But his jumping left a lot to be desired last time out, eventually winning the Vertem Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle off a throwaway mark of just 132 – last season he was running off as high a rating as 149 and tomorrow he runs off 140.

The form of the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last month received a boost when the winner, Corach Rambler, won the Grand National at Aintree last weekend. Monbeg Genius ran a superb race to be a close third but he is up 5lbs in the ratings to 145 tomorrow and he is not guaranteed to stay the marathon trip, especially after a hard race at the Festival. He is already in my ‘horse tracker’ for next season, being only seven years old but on ground faster than ideal for him tomorrow, he is poor value.

At the odds on offer today, I am happy to leave things in the hands of Lucinda Russell and her team. I have no doubt that both of her runners are capable of capping a memorable season for her by winning her second major ‘National’ in the space of just eight days. Provided one of them is in the first six there will be little to no damage done to the overall bank balance. Good luck, as always.

Pending bets:

1 point each way Your Own Story at 8-1in the Scottish Grand National, paying 1/5^th odds, six places.

1 point each way Mighty Thunder at 25-1 in the Scottish Grand National, paying 1/5^th odds, six places.

1 point each way Annsam at 16-1 in the bet365 Gold Cup, paying ¼ odds, four places.

Settled bets:

1 point each way Hill Sixteen in the Becher Chase at 11-1, paying 1/5 odds, six places. Unplaced (7^th). – 2 points.

2 points win Annsam at 8-1 for the Howden Silver Cup. Cancelled meeting. Stake returned.

1 point each way Eldorado Allen at 20-1 in the King George VI Chase, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced (4^th).  – 2 points.

1 point each way The Big Breakaway in 20-1 for the Welsh Grand National at 20-1, paying 1/5 odds, five places. 2^nd. + 3 points.

1 point each way The Big Dog at 12-1 in the Welsh Grand National, paying ¼ odds, four places. 3^rd. + 2 points.

1 point each way Grumpy Charley at 12-1 in the Newbury 2.25pm paying 1/5 odds, five places. 1st + 16.4 points.

2 points win Midnight River at 5-1 for the Cheltenham 1.55pm, with Skybet. 1^st. + 10 points.

1 point each way Coconut Splash at 12-1 in the Cheltenham 1.55 on Sunday, with William Hill, paying 1/5 odds, six places. Unplaced (P). – 2 points.

1 point each way Sir Ivan at 20-1 in the Sandown 3pm tomorrow, paying 1/5^th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Lord du Mesnil at 8-1 in the Warwick 3pm race, paying 1/5^th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Dubrovnik Harry at 8-1 in the Kempton 2.40pm race, paying 1/5^th odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Mister Coffey at 15/2 for the Doncaster 3.15pm, 1/5 odds, five places. Non Runner. Stake returned.

1 point each way Back On The Lash at 7/1 for the Cheltenham 12.40pm, 1/5 odds, five places. 1^st. + 8.4 points

1 point each way Empire Steel at 12-1 in the Sandown 3.30pm, paying 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each Small Present at 25-1 for the Grand National Trial (Haydock 2.40pm) paying 1/4 odds, four places. Unplaced – 2 points.

1 point each way Homme Public at 9-1 for Ascot 3pm, paying 1/5 odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Party Business at 20-1 NRNB for the Pertemps Network Hurdle Final, paying 1/5 odds, five places. Non Runner. Stake returned.

1 point each way Benson at 16-1 in the Morebattle Hurdle, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. 1^st. + 19.2 points.

1 point each way Monviel at 17/2 for the Imperial Cup, paying 1/5^th odds, six places. 5^th. + 0.5 points.

1 point each way Saint Segal at 20-1 NRNB for the Grand Annual, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. Non Runner. Stake Returned.

1 point each way Elixir de Nutz at 20-1 NRNB for the Plate Handicap Chase, paying 1/5 odds, five places. Non Runner. Stake Returned.

1 point each way Doctor Bravo at 22-1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5 odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Nassalam at 20-1 NRNB for the Ultima Handicap Chases, paying 1/5th odds, five places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way I Like To Move It at 20-1 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle, 1/5 odds, three places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Metamorpheus at 16-1 NRNB for the Boodles Juveniles Hurdle, paying 1/5^th odds, 5 places. 6th. – 2 points.

1 point each way Mister Coffey at 25-1 for the National Hunt Chase, paying 1/5^th odds, three places. 3^rd. + 4 points.

1 point each way Camprond at 20-1 NRNB for the Coral Cup, paying 1/5th odds, five places. 3^rd. + 3 points.

1 point each way Elixir de Nutz at 14-1 for the Grand Annual Chase, paying 1/5 odds, five places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way French Dynamite at 14-1 NRNB for the Ryanair Chase, paying 1/5th odds, three places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Dashel Drasher at 28-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle, paying 1/5^th odds, four places. 3rd. + 4.6 points.

1 point each way Gin Coco at 14-1 NRNB for the County Hurdle, paying 1/5 odds, five places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Hewick at 20-1 NRNB for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5^th odds, three places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Royal Pagaille at 50-1 NRNB for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, three places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Magic Daze at 11-1 for the Mares Chase, paying 1/5^th odds, three place. Refused to race. – 2 points.

1 point each way Might I at 10-1 NRNB for the Martin Pipe Hurdle, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. 4^th. + 1 point.

1 point each way Iroko at 9-1 for the Martin Pipe Hurdle, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. 1^st. + 10.8 points.

1 point each way The Galloping Bear at 14-1 for the Midlands Grand National, paying ¼ odds, four places. P. – 2 points.

1 point each way Notachance at 33-1 for the Midlands Grand National, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. 3^rd. +5.6 points.

1 point each way Secret Reprieve at 10-1 for the Midlands Grand National, paying 1/5^th odds, five places. P. – 2 points.

1 point each way Dans Le Vent at 33-1 for the Uttoxeter 3.35pm, 1/5^th odds, three places. U. – 2 points.

1 point each way Panda Boy at 16-1 in the Irish Grand National, ¼ odds, four places. 5^th. – 2 points.

1 point each way Gesskille at 16-1 in the Topham Chase, paying ¼ odds, four places. Unpalced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Corach Rambler at 20-1 in the Aintree Grand National, paying ¼ odds, four places. 1^st . + 25 points.

1 point each way Lifetime Ambition at 33-1in the Aintree Grand National, paying 1/5 odds, five places. U. – 2 points.

1 point each way Any Second Now at 20-1in the Aintree Grand National, paying 1/5 odds, five places. Unpalced. – 2 points.

1 point each way Francky Du Berlais at 100-1 in the Aintree Grand National, paying 1/5th odds, six places. Unplaced. – 2 points.

My gambling record for the seven years: I have made a profit in 13 of the past 14 seasons to recommend bets. To a 1 point level stake over this period, the profit of has been just over 469 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a ‘point’ is your chosen regular stake).