AFTER last week’s Grand National win boosted Willie Mullins’ chances of retaining the British trainers’ championship, the Master of Closutton sends a six-strong assault to Ayr for today’s £200,000 Coral Scottish Grand National (3.35).

Mullins’s son and assistant trainer Patrick partnered Nick Rockett to victory at Aintree, and has a strong chance of completing a National double aboard the Audrey Turley-owned Olympic Man.

The eight-year-old was last seen winning a beginners’ chase over two and a half miles at Navan, having previously gained blacktype in a three-mile hurdle, and steps up to four miles for the first time at Ayr.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Patrick Mullins said: “We’re hoping that the good ground is going to bring about improvement in him. His jumping has been a little bit suspect at times, but we’re hoping that the good ground will help him there, and the step up in trip. Hopefully he can run well.”

Patrick’s cousin Danny won last year’s running by a whisker and reunites with his willing partner Macdermott in today’s declared field of 23. Since scoring off a rating of 137, the Gallagher Bloodstock-owned gelding has pulled up twice, unseated once and been beaten 91 lengths, but runs off 142 today.

“It’s going to be hard,” Patrick Mullins admits. “He won it in a photo finish last year and he’s slightly higher in the weights this year. But obviously the track and the ground suit him well, so it’s not hard to see him getting into the money once more.”

Sean O’Keeffe’s mount Chosen Witness currently heads the market and, though he remains a maiden over fences, Patrick fancies his chances. “Chosen Witness would probably be the number one in my book,” he said.

“He won on this card last year and from that day, we’ve been planning to bring him back for the Scottish National. Again, I think he’s a horse that the drier ground will really suit him, and he’s unexposed. He’s got a fantastic profile.”

On Grade 2-winning hurdler Captain Cody, Patrick commented: “He has some very good graded form to his name. He unseated in Cheltenham, which was unlucky, but he’s a novice, he’s unexposed, and Harry Cobden is obviously a good man to have on your side.”

On the remaining duo, he summarises: “Spanish Harlem and Klarc Kent both ran well in this race last year [finished sixth and fourth respectively], and if they could pick up money again this year, that would be brilliant.”

Change of tactics

Two races earlier, the father-and-son team bid to win the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle for the first time with Ethical Diamond. One of four for Closutton in a field of nine, the flat recruit finished an eye-catching fourth in the County Hurdle last time out.

On his mount, Patrick said: “I rode a very exaggerated race on him in Cheltenham because I wanted him to settle and he actually settled too well for me. I’ll ride it more positively at Ayr, and even with top weight, I think he should have a fantastic chance.”

Danny Mullins has been booked for the Tony Bloom-owned Bunting, who has been disappointing since finishing fourth in a Grade 1 as a juvenile. Completing the quartet are the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Batman Girac and Karafon, with Brian Hayes and J.J. Slevin booked respectively.