Racing: £100k boost to Scottish National prize fund

By PETER ALLISON
Published on 19/03/2013 00:29

PRIZE-MONEY for Scotland’s richest race meeting, next month’s Coral Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr, has been given a 25 per cent plus boost of more than £100,000 to £507,000.

The rise takes the prize fund to £97,000 on the first day of the popular meeting on Friday, 19 April and an impressive £410,000 on the Saturday. The big race itself, the Coral Scottish Grand National, carries a purse of £180,000 with more than £102,000 going to the winner.

Main supporting races on Saturday are the £60,000 QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle and the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Novices’ Handicap Chase with a similar level of prize money. The £40,000 Arcadia Consulting William Dickie & Mary Robertson Future Champion Novices’ Chase and the £30,000 Scotty Brand Handicap Chase, a Listed Race, are the other principal events on the second day.

The richest race on the opening day is the £25,000 Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase, while the Coral Backing Poppyscotland Mares’ Handicap Hurdle has £20,000 up for grabs.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s meeting at Newcastle is already in serious doubt after course officials announced an 8am inspection for this morning. The Gosforth Park circuit has been hit by significant rainfall in the last 24 hours and with more on the way, clerk of the course James Armstrong admits prospects are not good at this stage. Armstrong said: “It’s the same old story, I’m afraid. Since this time last week we’ve had just over an inch of rain, most of which fell on Sunday. The track is waterlogged in places and we’re forecast rain, sleet and snow for the next 48 hours. It’s not looking great at the moment.”

Marco Botti has also warned the ground will need to dry up at Doncaster for Solar Deity to take his chance in Saturday’s William Hill Lincoln.

Now moved into his purpose-built stables, Prestige Place on the Snailwell Road in Newmarket, Botti showed off the colt yesterday morning along with his other entry, Guest Of Honour, who is unlikely to make the cut.

“Both would want good ground – maybe good to soft but not too soft,” said Botti. “I don’t think Guest Of Honour will get in, so he will probably go for the consolation race instead. We knew last year that Solar Deity always ran well on the all-weather and after he won the Listed race, there’s nothing left for him. He looks in fabulous order but he just wouldn’t want the ground too soft.”

The sponsors offer 16-1 for a Solar Deity victory at this stage.

SELECTIONS

Exeter

2.00 Aim

2.30 Clowance House

3.00 Jump City

3.30 Gemini Ahhs

4.00 Robin Will

4.30 Storm Alert

Southwell

2.20 Lady Raffa

2.50 Excellent Puck

3.20 Poppy Bond

3.50 Jack Dawkins

4.20 Girl At The Sands

4.50 Blades Lad

5.20 Chosen One

Wolverhampton

2.10 Sibaya

2.40 Maggie Pink

3.10 Paddy Partridge

3.40 Brigadoon

4.10 Chik’s Dream

4.40 Illustrious Forest (nap)

5.10 Green To Gold

Double

Illustrious Forest - 4:40 Wolverhampton

Paddy Partridge - 3:10 Wolverhampton