Gunther can grab all the glory in Scottish National

Published on Friday 11 April 2003 01:00

GUNTHER McBRIDE sidestepped last week’s Grand National at Aintree to wait for the Scottrish Grand National (3.30pm) at Ayr tomorrow and the move can pay off.

The gelding was a close third in the race 12 months ago and can take the 110,000 prize this time, for he has again been in good form this spring.

He was beaten half a length and a length and a half by Take Control and Shotgun Willy last year and will again be suited by the faster underfoot conditions.

He meets Shotgun Willy on 5lbs better terms and that rival needs to bounce back after a lacklustre display when favourite and pulled up in the Grand National at Aintree a week ago.

Gunther McBride won the Racing Post Chase last term at Kempton and was runner-up in that premier event this spring behind the much-improved La Landiere with Ryalux a length back in third place.

The latter re-opposes again tomorrow on 2lbs better terms, so there will be little between them again, but Gunther McBride goes better on the faster ground.

Barry Geraghty, who was top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival and who won the National last week at Aintree on Monty’s Pass, has been booked to partner Sudden Shock.

Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding had some useful form over hurdles and stayed on well to win an amateur rider’s event over four miles at the Cheltenham Festival, so will have no stamina problems.

He caught Stormez on the run-in there to score by a length and they meet on similar terms here. Stormez had rattled a hat-trick before that, including an easy victory over Sudden Shock in a match at Kempton, but with Geraghty on board, Sudden Shock can come out best again.

Stormez is trained by Martin Pipe, who may also saddle last year’s winner Take Control.

The nine-year-old is inconsistent and has shown only modest form this season, but does best at this time of the year and cannot be discounted.

Spendid hails from a stable in top form and bounced back to his best when scoring over three-and-a-half miles at Doncaster before Christmas.

That was his first run over fences for more than two years, but he has been competing with the best in staying hurdles and goes on fast ground.

Sir Frosty ended last season with a win and has taken both races so far this term in good style. He scored over four miles at Exeter in December and over an extra furlong at Wincanton on New Year’s Day, so has no stamina doubts.

But he has not raced since then and this will be the fastest ground he has encountered, while Fatehalkhair could prove a lively outsider.

The gelding has netted all 13 of his victories over obstacles at Sedgefield, but ran really well when fourth in a competitive event at Liverpool last week when trainer Brian Ellison reckoned the watering of the track had turned conditions against him.

However, with Shotgun Willy staying in the race, Fatehalkhair will be forced to run from 9lbs out of the handicap and he can only be suggested as a speculative each-way bet.

So Gunther McBride, who will be ridden by Richard Johnson, gets the vote to justify ante-post favouritism and reward trainer Philip Hobbs for having the courage to miss Aintree and wait for this prize.