Tidal Bay heads the weights for Scottish National

TIDAL Bay, who was brought down and unseated his rider at the eighth fence in the Grand National at Aintree, heads the weights at the five day entry stage for the Coral sponsored Scottish equivalent at Ayr on Saturday.

Tidal Bay heads the weights for Scottish National. Picture: PA

And My Tent Or Yours, second in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, remains in the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle, the main supporting race on the day.

A total of 58 horses remain in the Coral Scottish Grand National including last year’s winner Godsmejudge from the Alan King yard and four horses – Green Flag, Lie Forrit, Nuts N Bolts and Kris Kross – from Lucinda Russell’s Perthshire stables.

It looks as if there will be a maximum field of 30 runners for the £200,000 Scottish National and others who could go to post are David Pipe’s Edmund Kean, Roalco de Farges from the Philip Hobbs stable and last year’s third Mister Marker, trained by Nicky Richards.

Among the other horses remaining in the Scottish Champion Hurdle are Gordon Elliot’s Flaxen Flare, last year’s winner Court Minstrel from the Evan Williams yard, and the up-and-coming Clever Cookie trained at Malton by Peter Niven. And if My Tent Or Yours does run the sold out signs are likely to go up at the track for the second successive year.

At Kelso yesterday, Fentara supplied Mark Walford with his first jumps winner at the track when she landed the feature race under Jake Greenall.

The mare was left clear three out in the Sheena Cochrane Celebration Handicap Chase after Fiddlers Reel unseated Ryan Mania.

Walford, who also struck at Redcar with Cornborough and only had his first winner at Newcastle on Saturday, said: “She’s been very consistent and she loves this soft ground. I wasn’t sure if she’d have still won if the other horse had completed. She tries her heart out and she was my last winner before I retired from the saddle. It’s just nice to get another win out of her.”

Nick Alexander saddled a double courtesy of Landecker ridden by daughter Lucy and Present Potential partnered by son Kit.

Present Potential landed the Cazenove Capital Management Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters Chase and Kit Alexander said: “He gave me a great ride all the way. Although this was his first win under Rules he has been doing really well in point to points.”

Steven Fox, who was third on Barachois Silver was hit with a 19-day suspension for using his whip above the permitted level. The amateur, who is based with Lucinda Russell, will be notified of the dates he has to serve by the BHA.

Russell edged to within one of Len Lungo’s Scottish record of 63 (set in 2002-03) when Lady Of Verona and Craig Nichol were left clear at the last in the Green Tree Hotel Peebles Mares’ Handicap Chase. Harrys Whim, racing from 32lbs out of the handicap was still around 12-lengths clear when unshipping Henry Brooke at the final fence.

Tony McCoy rode a double from his three rides on Katachenko and Sealous Scout, both trained by Donald McCain.