Ayr Scottish National Meeting Thread

[Old Vic]

For everything but the Scottish National


Scottish Champion Hurdle
Alan King:

"We will be double-handed in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, which we won last year with Raya Star. He runs again, while it will also be good to have Grumeti back.

"He has had a frustrating season with niggles repeatedly thwarting his comeback but, like Raya Star, he is in good form, and the ground shouldn't be a problem to either," he told his website www.alankingracing.co.uk.

The two mile contest has received a total of 15 entries including last year's runner-up Local Hero.

Impressive Plumpton winner Court Minstrel is an interesting entry for Evan Williams while Nicky Henderson holds a strong hand with Une Artiste and Forgotten Voice.

David Pipe is also double handed with Dan Breen being joined by Shotavodka while Paul Nicholls looks set to rely upon Triumph Hurdle third Sametegal with John Quinn's progressive Cockney Sparrow the only other juvenile entry in the field.

[Old Vic]

The five year old is the West Country handler's first runner for owner JP McManus and, after winning on his debut in his new silks, he ran a huge race in the Weatherbys sponsored event at the Cheltenham Festival.

It had been thought that Regal Encore wouldn't run again this season following his seven length defeat to Brier Hill but he's been given an entry for the closing bumper on the Scottish Grand National card.

Honeyball is hoping to get another run into the son of King's Theatre and told his website: "The bumper is obviously very interesting as we may get to run Regal Encore again before his Summer break, this is quite a valuable bumper for him."

The trainer is also eyeing a tilt at a valuable prize with Danimix who is entered in the valuable Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Novices' Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.

The eight year old has won three of his four starts since joining the yard in July and comes into the race on the back of a career best defeat of Real Milan and Restless Harry at Wetherby.

Elsewhere on the card, there is an entry for a horse that went one better than Regal Encore at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tony Martin has given Benefficient the option of running in the Arcadia Consulting William Dickie & Mary Robertson Future Champion Novices' Chase.
Anthony Honeyball is keen to run his Champion Bumper runner-up Regal Encore at Ayr on Saturday.

A game winner of the Jewson Novices' Chase last month, the form of that victory has been franked in no uncertain terms by successes at Aintree for second home Dynaste and the fifth-placed Captain Conan.

Martin's charge is unlikely to have everything his own way if making the journey to Scotland, however, with Tap Night and Realt Mor among his possible opponents.

[Old Vic]

Scottish Champion Hurdle Stats http://www.fatjockey.com/festivals/r...rdle-Stats-202