Scottish Grand National

The Scottish Grand National was established in 1867 and is run at Ayr Racecourse, Scotland each year in April as the feature event of the Scottish Grand National Festival. It is a Grade 3 Jump race, which means is obeys the classical rules of the handicap race, over four miles and 110 yards. Originally the race was conducted at Bogside Racecourse near the town of Irvine. However, in 1966, following the closure of the Bogside venue, it was moved to Ayr. The last horse to take home a Scottish Grand National Victory at Bogside WAS Robson-trained Brasher, ridden by J. Fitzgerald.

Horses competing at the Scottish Grand National often move on the run, or have already competed in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree. Iconic Jump race horse Red Rum is currently the only horse to emerge victorious from both the Scottish Grand National and the Grand National at Aintree within the same racing season.

Recent Winners of the Scottish Grand National:

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer

2010

Merigo

9

Timmy Murphy

Andrew Parker

2009

Hello Bud

11

Paddy Brennan

Nigel Twiston-Davies

2008

Iris De Balme

8

Charlie Huxley

Sean Curran

2007

Hot Weld

8

P.J. McDonald

Ferdy Murphy

2006

Run For Paddy

10

Carl Llewellyn

Carl Llewellyn

2005

Joes Edge

8

Keith Mercer

Ferdy Murphy

2004

Grey Abbey

10

Graham Lee

Howard Johnson

2003

Ryalux

10

Richard McGrath

Andy Crook

2002

Take Control

8

Ruby Walsh

Martin Pipe

2001

Gingembre

7

Andrew Thornton

Lavinia Taylor

2000

Paris Pike

8

Adrian Maguire

Ferdy Murphy

Scottish Grand National Odds and News

22 Apr 2013: Godsmejudge Wins Scottish Grand National

Godsmejudge has joined a short list of seven-year-olds to have won the Scottish Grand National with an exceptional jumping performance at Ayr on Saturday.

The Alan King-trained gelding relished the strenuous conditions of the marathon style event and despite taking the lead a long way from home was still able to jump strongly in the final stages of the race and claim victory from Big Occasion and Mister Maker.

Jockey Wayne Hutchinson said all the credit deserved to go to the horse and trainer Alan King.

“He jumped great and got into a fantastic rhythm,” Hutchinson said.

“He’s given me a fantastic ride and all credit to the boss.”

King was clearly emotional to have won the biggest race at his home racecourse.

“This means a huge amount to me,” King said.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win a Champion Hurdle and a Queen Mother and this is up there with those.

“It’s been a very, very difficult winter with very testing conditions.

“We’ve been very patient and we’re being rewarded.”

The Scottish Grand National victory capped off a stellar season for Godsmejudge who finished in the placing’s in all but one of his runs which included victories at Warwick and Folkestone as well as a gallant third in the John Oaksey National Hunt during the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.

Auroras Encore was aiming to become the first horse since the great Red Rum in 1974 to claim the Aintree-Ayr Grand National double but struggled under the heavy weight and was pulled up after losing touch with the field in the concluding stages of the race.

Jockey Ryan Mania was disappointed but said the son of Second Empire received no luck in the race.

“In the Grand National everything went right and today everything went wrong,” Mania said.

“I jumped off where I wanted to be and how I didn’t get brought down by the horse that fell at the second, I don’t know.”

The jumps racing season concludes with the Punchestown Festival this weekend.

You can find the best odds for every race during the Punchestown Festival at Bet365 Bet365.

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