The Western Meeting apart, Ayr races doesn’t have a more important fixture than its two-day Scottish Grand National Festival. After a rather humble opening on Friday, the action goes up several games on Saturday, 12 April.
A race as important as the Scottish Grand National of 2025 is worth detailed analysis on its own. You can read all about the feature Premier Handicap over a marathon trip of four miles elsewhere on the site.
The supporting card isn’t too shabby either. Chief among it is the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle, a limited handicap with some fine horses taking part. Handicaps in general play a huge part at Ayr races in general.
Don’t tell Musselburgh, but this really is the top racecourse in Scotland. This particular day of racing is as good as National Hunt action north of the border gets. Supported by plenty of Irish raiders and runners from southern England, it contains some tricky puzzles.
Mares compete over hurdles for the Seafield Trophy, while the action gets underway with another Premier Handicap chase at a shorter trip. There is also the Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase over three miles with all the action broadcast live on ITV.
While the jumps season soon draws to a close, we don’t go easy on our experts who follow the sport. They pore over all the form and prices on horse racing betting sites in search of a bit of value. Find out what they picked out below for this Premier Raceday…
Ayr Races Preview for Saturday, 12 April
1:10 – 2m 110y Premier Handicap Chase
A tricky opener featuring race regulars like Tommy’s Oscar and Malystic. At this stage of their careers, however, these northern English horses look vulnerable to young legs. Gavin Cromwell brings THE OTHER MOZZIE over from Ireland again and notably drops him back in trip.
Connections ran this horse over 2m 4f at the Cheltenham Festival, but he also held an entry in the Grand Annual. The shorter distance may be more like it for The Other Mozzie, based on his impressive Naas victory in January. Willie Mullins saddles Western Diego, meanwhile, and he could be anything.
Runner-up at Punchestown last time out despite jumping left, he now makes his handicap chase bow. Western Diego should based on that latest effort and tenderly handled fourth on his debut over fences around Leopardstown. For Scotland, meanwhile, Traprain Law is in contention as he’s only seven.
Lucinda Russell isn’t running as many at Ayr races as expected, but this one knows his way around the course and has time on his side. Few others make any real appeal. The old warhorses look like their best days are behind them, while Etalon has been very disappointing for the Dan Skelton stable. Homme Public may find this a little on the sharp side.
1:45 – 3m Class 2 Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase
🏆 @WilliamHill Best Odds Guaranteed Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 🏆
🥇 Lord of Thunder
🥈 Pic Roc
🥉 Herakles WestwoodBrendan Powell rides Lord Of Thunder to victory for trainer Joe Tizzard 💥@brendanp1995 | @TizzardRacing pic.twitter.com/miCOQIGAtG
— Newbury Racecourse (@NewburyRacing) February 8, 2025
This has often gone to horses carrying a welter burden, but topweight Masaccio keeps placing rather than winning. This sounder surface is a complete unknown for Mullins mount Loughglynn, but he was best over hurdles with cut in the ground. Next in the weights is Russell’s home hope Whistle Stop Tour, but he pulled up last time.
It’s worth chancing two each-way against the field with EYED and LORD OF THUNDER looking value. The former, trained by Hughie Morrison, has no issues with the going. Eyed, who runs off bottom weight, has done all his improving over fences on decent ground this season.
A 5lb rise for a half-length defeat by Fobra Gold Cup hero Minella Blueway around Uttoxeter makes life tougher, but he would be out of the handicap without it. As for Lord Of Thunder, dropping him back in trip didn’t work at Cheltenham but he still confirmed Newbury form with Pic Roc with both down the field in the Jack Richards.
Joe Tizzard could have a good day at Ayr races with this Grade 2 placed horse now dropped in Class and back up in distance. His Ffos Las second doesn’t look too shabby with the winner going in at the highest level in the Scilly Isles at Sandown. Ideal Des Bordes needs wind surgery to spark a revival, meanwhile, and Theformismighty didn’t get home over 2m 5f here at this meeting last year.
2:15 – 2m Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle (Limited Handicap)
They can be FIERCELY PROUD of that one! The @Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle Race came down to the wire, but @kielanwoods clinched the win!
SECRET SQUIRREL and David Bass who fell at the last are up and okay. @benpauling1 #Ascot #HorseRacing pic.twitter.com/IDD9k8dyCL
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) December 21, 2024
Kabral Du Mathan filled the same spot behind Secret Squirrel around Windsor, so this more galloping track should suit him. Ethical Diamond now frames the weights as one of four for Mullins, but he took his two top rated runners out. More interesting dropped back in trip is Bunting, too keen for his own good that he didn’t last in the Coral Cup.
Ethical Diamond, fourth in the County Hurdle, seemingly has the beaten of re-opposing seventh Cracking Rhapsody for the Scottish yard of Ewan Whillans. If ridden differently and positively like he was in the autumn, however, don’t be surprised if Valgrand stages a revival at Ayr races.
The Skeltons haven’t yet got a repeat performance from his October Grade 2 romp at Cheltenham. Should Valgrand recapture that visually impressive performance, then he has a big say. Each of the four mares in the Scottish Champion Hurdle line-up; Kihavah, Dysart Enos, Under Control and Ooh Betty; have squeaks on the pick of their form too.
2:55 – 3m Class 2 Seafield Trophy Mares’ Handicap Hurdle
A messy final hurdle didn’t matter for Lavida Adiva who was dominant in today’s Listed race@NRuthJefferson pic.twitter.com/oKNEIpjhwZ
— Kelso Racecourse (@KelsoRacecourse) March 22, 2025
Ruth Jefferson’s mare is also 3lb better off with Ottizzini from that latest effort, so should confirm form. Lavida Adiva looks the classiest option with the proven stamina for the test. Mullins mount Armed And Fabulous could be anything, meanwhile, and steps markedly up in trip at Ayr races from a win around Newcastle.
Rockola Vouge has been in good form of late too with her Hexham maiden win in October suggesting she’ll get this distance. Musique De Fee looks as though she may be quickly turned out just 48 hours after a Newton Abbot second, meanwhile. The Lord Maid should also be suited by this stamina test.
3:35 – 4m Scottish Grand National (Premier Handicap)
This sextet look tough to assess, especially with half of them being lightly-raced novices over fences. Spanish Harlem looks as though he retains his ability and may be the best value of the half-dozen. However, the likes of ROCK MY WAY and last year’s runner-up SURREY QUEST look tailor-made for this marathon trip.
The former chased home ante-post Irish Grand National favourite Haiti Couleuers in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Nudged up 1lb for that, Joe Tizzard’s Rock My Way looks a big player here. Surrey Quest was desperately unlucky to lose 12 months ago, meanwhile, and has held his form reasonably well since.
You can’t say the same about Macdermott, who just won on the nod. At bigger odds, 2023 third Flash De Touzaine returns to the Ayr races feature with a last time out win and similar mark to two years ago. The Kniphand stuck to the task well when runner-up in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster, meanwhile, and exploring this longer trip could work.
