After the Irish and English Grand Nationals, all eyes were on Ayr for the Scottish Grand National.
This year, however, looked a little different with a familiar name appearing on the racecard.
After winning the famous race at Aintree a fortnight ago with I Am Maximus, Willie Mullins prepared to take on Ayr, a track he’s never won at, in order to put himself further ahead of Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton in the British Trainers’ Championship.
For the race itself, the Closutton trainer turned up with six horses for the highlight race. Amongst them were Mr Incredible and Spanish Harlem.
There was good representation from Britain too, with Git Maker or Jamie Snowden and Mr Vango for Sara Bradstock, wife of the late Mark Bradstock, looking for an emotional win.
Mr Vango led the way in the early stages along with Warwick Classic Chase winner My Silver Lining and Scottish representative Inis Orr.
As the gruelling race continued, Mr Vango began to fade away, eventually pulling up on the home straight, with Git Maker making his bid for glory.
However, after the third last, Macdermott made a late challenge, sitting prominent at pretty and Danny Mullins, taking on Surrey Quest on the inside.
These two were clear at the last, when Macdermott made a bad error, with Danny Mullins just about managing to keep on his mount.
Then on the battle to the line, it looked almost impossible to split them, but Macdermott won it on the bob, giving Willie Mullins a famous win in the race.
Earlier in the card, Willie Mullins enjoyed another winner on the card with Sharjah, the former two-mile hurdler winning the three-mile Novices’ Championship Handicap Chase under a cool ride from Paul Townend.
It could have been a treble, had Favour And Fortune not denied Bialystock in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in the race after.
However, Mullins did enjoy two more winners in Ayrshire with Chosen Witness needing the line in a Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, just beating Major Fortune by a nose.
And Quai De Bourbon, last seen finishing third in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham recorded an impressive win in the Tennent’s Novices’ Hurdle.
There were two Scottish representatives that took prizes on Scotland’s biggest raceday, with Favour And Fortune, as mentioned, for Alan King.
Czech Her Out managed to be the only one to catch Coco Mademoiselle and Ottizini in a fiery renewal of the Seafield Trophy, for Lucinda Russell.
Next week, we move down South for the final day of the Jumps season, where Willie Mullins will likely be crowned British Trainers’ Champion.
