Scottish Grand National: Lucinda Russell targets memorable double with Your Own Story
Scottish Grand National at Ayr
Horse racing pundit Steve Jones (who runs CD Systems on Tipstrr) has cast his eye over the Scottish Grand National at Ayr and expects the locals to be cheering on another popular home-grown winner.
Lucinda Russell thrives in this sort of race, as she proved in last weekend's Aintree Grand National win with Corach Rambler, who also won the Ultima Handicap at both of the last two Cheltenham Festivals.
The same trainer also landed the penultimate renewal of this race with Mighty Thunder, who is in the field again, although he has not replicated that form since that win in 2021.
From an in-form yard that is more adept than most at winning these marathon handicap chases, Your Own Story has what seems to be an ideal profile and the seven-year-old, who is at the right end of the handicap, is clearly in exactly the right hands with last weekend's Grand National winner Derek Fox again at the reins.
Since commencing his chasing career last October Your Own Story has run seven times over fences, all of them in staying handicaps, and he has returned figures of 2423212, and significantly he produced his best chasing performance over the longest trip he has faced.
Suggested bet:
Your Own Story to win the 15:35 at Ayr
That was just last month, when he won the Wetherby Long Distance Handicap over 31 furlongs , and not only did he win on his first try beyond three-and-a-half miles, but he did so in style, going clear to score by five lengths on good ground.
Later in the month, he attempted to follow up off a seven-pound higher mark in a handicap over 28.4 furlongs at Haydock, where he was beaten just half a length behind Equus Dreamer, with the front pair pulling 17 lengths clear of the rest of the field.
Stamina is his big asset and he can put it to good use in this big-field marathon handicap, with the distance, the track and the drying ground all working in his favour.
Still lightly-raced in these marathon events, there is plenty more to come from him in this sphere and a big run looks on the cards.
Next best bet:
Flower Of Scotland in the 15:35 at Ayr
Of the others, the mare, Flower Of Scotland, followed up December's win in the Scottish Borders National at Kelso by coming from a long way back to finish a never-nearer third of 13 in the Class 2 Edinburgh National at Musselburgh in February.
Another stamina-laden chaser, she found 26 furlongs too short when back at Kelso over hurdles last time out, although she was beaten by less than 3 lengths, confirming that she is in very good shape ahead of this race.
From a yard that also does very well in these marathon handicaps, Flower Of Scotland has plenty going for her, although she would probably have preferred slower ground than this.
