Scottish Grand National report and analysis from Timeform

That the 2 Irish raiders - both trained by Pat Fahy - were among the 14 non-completers rather goes against the grain for a premier handicap on these shores nowadays but the dominance exerted by a Christian Williams-trained improver ensured there was still something of the status quo about this year's Scottish National, Win My Wings turning another competitive-looking handicap into a cakewalk at the chief expense of a stablemate who himself is only just starting out on the long-distance chase scene, the pair coming clear with the one novice in the line-up who did raise his game in what promises to prove one of the stronger recent renewals; unfortunately, Jersey Bean was a casualty in the early stages, which also resulted in the third and fourth fences in the back straight being omitted on the last 2 circuits, though plenty of the remaining obstacles got in the way for others in the field after the pace had stepped up a notch when Ask A Honey Bee went to the front around halfway.

Win My Wings gave yet more evidence of her trainer's skill in peaking one at the right time as she made a mockery of an 8 lb rise for her Eider success to become the first since Willsford in 1995 to land the double, her blend of speed, stamina and quick jumping seeing her turn a prestigious marathon handicap into a rout, giving Williams an even higher profile 1-2 than when Cap du Nord had also led home Kitty's Light at Kempton; she powered along held up and, jumping superbly all the while, was still full of running as she went to the front 4 out, the race as good as over almost immediately, more like 9 lengths clear when her crack amateur took time to celebrate late on, a pattern-class performance in a handicap by a flourishing 9-y-o mare; she'd take some beating again in the apparently unlikely event she's allowed to take her chance in Sandown's bet365 Gold Cup (Hot Weld did the double in 2007 when the races were just a week apart) as a seasonal swansong, though this also provided a potentially strong pointer to the Grand National before then, given progressive thorough stayer Eclair Surf - a rallying second to Win My Wings in the Eider - may well sneak in at the foot of the weights at Aintree.

Kitty's Light is 3 years the junior of his winning stablemate and will surely land a major staying prize or 2 over the coming years, luckless in the bet365 on his first crack over a long distance and not enjoying the rub of the green, either, on this second, on the back foot after belting the second yet making headway from rear from 5 out and sustaining his run to the line, all despite having been hampered on landing at the next for good measure, his stable companion always a step or 2 ahead; compensation at Sandown may well await, given he can't go up much - if at all - for this.

Major Dundee more than held his own asked a much bigger question on only his fourth start over fences, having no problem at all with the extreme trip in keeping with a pair in their element faced with such; mid-division, effort when shaken up from 5 out, stayed on straight despite having jumped left and bumped Ask A Honey Bee to the floor at the fourth last.

Fidux showed surprising stamina upped to a marathon distance for the first time but was found out instead for ability up against a more upwardly-mobile trio, either way acquitting himself much better than might reasonably have been expected; held up, crept closer eighteenth, pushed along straight, kept on gradually to pass wilting Ashtown Lad and fill frame.

Ashtown Lad looked firmly at home thrust into a high-end handicap only for his stamina to run dry upped from 3m after 8 weeks off, shaping much better than the bare result; waited with, jumped well, took closer order out wide circuit out, second when ridden 4 out, weakened; he's still relatively fresh, with only 5 starts under his belt this season.

Prime Venture wasn't disgraced at this level on a rare run away from the mud, having enjoyed his seasonal high in a heavy-ground Veterans' Final; in rear, pecked fifteenth, some headway 5 out, no further impression, not unduly punished.

The Wolf is better judged on his closing second at Musselburgh, in a rather less competitive 'National' north of the border, asked a big question positioned so far back; dropped out, shaken up from 5 out, some headway home turn, made little impression.

Court Master fared worse than in the Eider, this that bit more competitive for all Win The Wings landed it with even greater authority; handy, lost place when shaken up circuit out, labouring 5 out.

The Ferry Master hasn't gone on as expected since shaping so well from a 5 lb higher mark in this race in 2021, wilting late to give it away at Newcastle and never in a rhythm here after an early scare; raced off the pace, awkward on landing first and rider lost irons briefly, not fluent after, some headway from 5 out, not sustain effort.

Ask A Honey Bee saw his race ended through little fault of his own but had predictably found his jumping causing problems before then, having also come in for an inefficient ride; raced off the pace, rapid headway out wide to go handy circuit out, hit eleventh, jumped on thirteenth, hit eighteenth, 5 out, headed and dropped to fourth when hampered in mid-air and fell 4 out; perhaps extreme trips are what he needs but, on balance, he's an easy customer to oppose these days.

Jersey Bean was robbed of the chance to derive extra benefit from the even longer distance by coming to grief at the third, suffering fatal injuries.

Hill Sixteen was in the process of running creditably when departing for all a minor role was the best he could have hoped for; mid-division, effort from eighteenth, ridden from 5 out, no sooner left fifth by Ask A Honey Bee's fall at the next when hampered and unseated in the backwash, still plugging on at the time around 5 lengths behind the eventual third.

Strong Economy has a good record at Ayr but had plenty on from 4 lb out of the handicap in the biggest race in its calendar, later said to have bled as well; in rear, jumped right sixth, never going well after, tailed off long way out.

Cool Mix turned in a rare poor effort tried tongue tied after 8 weeks off, not jumping nearly so well as when fifth (from a 6 lb higher mark) in this race in 2021; tracked pace, lost place when mistakes seventh, tenth, not fluent again seventeenth, dropped away.

El Paso Wood possibly found the race coming too soon 2 weeks on from Uttoxeter, having barely had a breather since arriving from France; raced off the pace, labouring from 5 out.

History of Fashion proved a let-down (rather like his stablemate), perhaps linked to less testing ground than usual; mid-division, lost ground gradually early final circuit, labouring eighteenth.

One More Fleurie, a wide-margin winner of the novice handicap on this card in 2021, was beaten by more than lack of stamina hiked in trip; jumped well, disputed lead until twelfth, remained prominent until seventeenth, faltered quickly (later found to have cracked hoof).

Innisfree Lad is best excused this run, taken very wide in rear and not persevered with once it was clear he had a mountain to climb from the eighteenth, eventually pulled up in the straight.

Chirico Vallis found his run of good form coming to a halt in first-time cheekpieces, bossing this sort of field probably just beyond him; disputed lead, went on from twelfth, headed when pecked on landing next, left behind back straight.

Via Dolorosa had his winning run ended in much deeper waters from another 10 lb higher; close up until 5 out, struggling from there.

Stormy Judge is best forgiven this run, backed as if better was expected but hindered by a couple of blunders and also said to have finished lame; mid-division, mistakes twelfth, thirteenth, beaten quickly end of back straight.

Fantaskikas possibly found the race coming too soon after giving his all in the Ultima, though he also ended up much further off the pace than usual (better when ridden positively); held up, some headway shaken up eighteenth, effort proved short-lived.

Vintage Clouds, an immensely durable veteran sluggard, was retired after struggling as badly in this as he had the Ultima the time before, having run in the 2 races a remarkable combined 10 times during his career.

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