Check out Andrew McLaren's recommended multiple bet for Saturday's ITV action on Scottish Grand National day at Ayr and Newbury.
13:30 Newbury – Hamish
Last year’s St Leger runner-up Arrest is sure to be popular in the opener at Newbury but he’s probably going to be better over further and will have to improve on what he’s done so far to get past an on-song HAMISH. William Haggas’ talented gelding has had his injury problems over the years but he’s a model of consistency when making it to the track, winning his last five, and the likes of Al Qareem and Chesspiece in the line-up should ensure a strong gallop for him to take aim at.
14:25 Ayr - L'eau Du Sud
L'EAU DU SUD has been a bit of a bridesmaid this season, filling the runner-up spots in the Betfair and County Hurdles, and can finally have his deserved day in the sun at Ayr on Saturday. It’s far from ideal going up in the weights without winning but those last two efforts were in very hot handicaps and he was probably just beaten by a graded horse who was well ahead of his mark last time under a superb Paul Townend ride, and he beat the rest comfortably.
This doesn’t look as strong a race and a repeat of his last two runs should make him hard to beat.
15:15 Newbury – Thunder Ball
I backed him in the Lincoln and I’m not losing the faith with THUNDER BALL just yet. You can make excuses for his run there where he eventually finished seventh after making his move earlier than ideal running into a strong headwind on heavy ground and he finished best of those ridden prominently, leaving the impression there is a big handicap in him off this mark. Hopefully it’s on Saturday.
15:35 Ayr – Inis Orr
Just the six runners for Willie Mullins here as his quest for a first UK Trainers Championship gathers pace but I think the home team have a live one here with INIS ORR. He first came onto my radar in February last year when pitched into an open Grade 2 race over hurdles when still a novice where he acquitted himself well in the circumstances, just looking in need of the experience.
Always a staying chaser in the making, he bolted up on his first go at a marathon trip when winning by 21 lengths at Musselburgh last time and you would imagine his Scottish yard have had the Edinburgh National/Scottish National double in mind all season, a plan they executed with Mighty Thunder in 2021.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
