We have hit the crossbar in both the Irish and English Grand National with three places from four tips over the last couple of weeks.
SOLDIER OF LOVE is our first stab at the Scottish edition. A classy-sort who made strong progress over fences on good ground earlier in the season, culminating with a 7l second to subsequent impressive National Hunt Chase winner Galvin, when challenging him off level-weights. Galvin was set to go off favourite for this, but with his absence he looks like one of the class acts in the field and he can win this for a fifth time for Paul Nicholls who has a knack of aiming one at this once the ground turns good.
Soldier Of Love has a very interesting profile and I would imagine that he’s still fairly well-handicapped off a mark of 144. He is yet to race beyond 3m 2f, but he comes into this fresh having been off for five months and he looks like he will stay the distance.
The other one I like at a price is CHAPEL STILE for Nicky Richards. Nicky won this last year with Takingrisks at a massive price and he could do the same here with Chapel Stile at 18/1.
Unexposed over fences with just the four chase starts, Chapel Stile bounced back to form last time with an impressive performance at Carlisle over three miles on bottomless ground. Whilst a quick look at the form might create cause for concern with the fast going, he has won twice on good ground including a three mile handicap hurdle at this track in April 2018 against a decent yardstick and he looks an interesting runner off a mark 137.
Chapel Stile is another who is yet to race in a marathon trip, but he’s a half-brother to Grand National third and National Hunt Chase winner, Rathvinden, so looks set to get the trip and is an improver worth having on side.
1pt each-way Soldier Of Love @15/2, 15:35 Ayr, Sunday (1-6 places, 1/5 odds)
1pt each-way Chapel Stile @18/1, 15:35 Ayr, Sunday (1-7 places, 1/5 odds)