JP McManus owns I Am Maximus, who won the Grand National last Saturday. He owns Iroko, who was second. He owned Johnnywho, who was fourth. Three of the first four home in the Aintree Grand National carried the famous green and gold hoops. Now Montregard, another McManus horse, targets the Scottish Grand National this Saturday. The owner has never won at Ayr in four decades of racing. The quest continues.
The Ascot Win
Montregard won at Ascot last month — a performance that took his form to a new level and established him as a horse primed for a big spring target. Trainer Tom Lacey has never run a horse in the Scottish Grand National before. If Montregard lines up at Ayr on Saturday, it would be the trainer's first Scottish National runner. That adds an element of freshness — neither horse nor trainer arrives with a preconceived template for the race. They arrive with form that says they belong.
The Sporting Life Verdict
Sporting Life's horse-by-horse guide for the Scottish National identified Montregard as their selection, describing him as "the thriving Ascot winner who can come forward again going up to an extreme trip." The specific phrase "come forward" is the key assessment — the analyst believes the Ascot win, while excellent, has not yet shown the ceiling of what Montregard can do. A horse that is still improving when it arrives at a marathon test is a dangerous opponent.
JP McManus — Never Won the Scottish National
McManus has four Grand National wins at Aintree — the most successful owner in the race's history. He has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He has never won the Scottish Grand National. Montregard represents his most credible chance in several years of trying.
The McManus connection is relevant beyond sentiment. His operation enters horses in specific races because the form and preparation warrant it. When a McManus horse is targeted at the Scottish National in the week when McManus has just dominated Aintree, the confidence behind that entry is real rather than speculative.
The Weight
Montregard carries 11st 1lb — rated 132 — which sits right at the boundary of the most productive weight range in the race's history. 18 of the last 22 Scottish National winners carried 11st 1lb or less. Montregard is precisely on that line. His weight is as close to the ideal profile as any horse in this field.
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