The dust has barely settled from I Am Maximus's historic win at Aintree last Saturday when Scottish racing's biggest day arrives. The Scottish Grand National is this Saturday April 18th at Ayr, starting at 3:35pm on ITV. Prize money of £200,000 goes to the winner. Twenty-five horses have been confirmed after eight Aintree runners withdrew — most of whom had a tough shift at Aintree last weekend and were pulled out to protect their welfare.
Here is everything you need to know before Saturday.
The Race
Four miles over 27 fences on Ayr's flat, galloping right-handed track. The course rewards strong-jumping, front-running types with genuine stamina reserves — the fences are orthodox birch rather than Aintree's unique spruce, which means horses without Grand National fence experience are not disadvantaged. ITV carries the race live from 3:35pm.
King Of Answers — The Favourite
King Of Answers is the market favourite at around 7/1 for joint trainers Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore. The seven-year-old finished second in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March, beaten five and a half lengths by Holloway Queen. He relished the longer trip at Cheltenham and his connections immediately identified the Scottish National as the target. He carries 11st 12lb — third highest in the weights — and the Russell stable blog published on Sunday confirms: "We hope the week will end in Scottish National glory for King Of Answers at Ayr on Saturday." That is not a casual aside. Lucinda Russell knows how to train a horse for this race — she won it in 2021 with Mighty Thunder.
Road To Home — Willie Mullins One Entry
Willie Mullins won the Scottish Grand National in each of the last two years — Captain Cody in 2025 and Macdermott in 2024. He has one entry remaining this year, Road To Home, who finished second in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. Mullins carries 11st 6lb and is bidding for a third consecutive win in the £200,000 feature. The fact that Mullins has only one runner rather than his typical battalion tells you the squad is depleted post-Aintree. But one Mullins runner in a marathon chase is never to be dismissed.
Montregard — The JP McManus Angle
Montregard is in the field for trainer Tom Lacey and owner JP McManus — the same owner whose I Am Maximus won the Grand National last Saturday. McManus has never won the Scottish Grand National despite four Aintree wins. Montregard is a horse on the upgrade, carrying a mark of 132, and represents an intriguing each-way play for those who believe JP McManus's Grand National week form carries momentum.
Blaze The Way — The Irish Top Weight
Blaze The Way, trained by Margaret Mullins in Ireland, inherited the top weight spot of 12st — rated 145 — after the Aintree runners withdrew. The eight-year-old is a formidable staying chaser but carries the maximum weight in a race where top-weight winners are rare.
What To Watch On Saturday
The going at Ayr in mid-April is typically good to soft — watch the overnight forecast and morning going updates. A dry week benefits King Of Answers, whose best form has come on good ground. Any significant rain softens the advantage and brings in horses whose form profile is more stamina-heavy on testing ground.
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