Scottish Grand National Runners 2022: All the info you need for the Ayr showpiece

We are set for an enthralling renewal of the 2022 Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr racecourse on Saturday afternoon, and we take a look at all 24 runners in the marathon showpiece in our in-depth runners guide...

1. Hill Sixteen - M McDonagh (5) - S Thomson

A fine runner-up in the Becher Chase at Aintree over the Grand National fences earlier this season, Hill Sixteen then failed to land a blow when pulled up in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow. A creditable fourth in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster was followed by an excellent second placed finish in a Listed event at Kelso. With top weight to carry will face a stiff assignment here.

2. Vintage Clouds - S Quinlan - S Smith

A top class staying handicap chaser at his best, Vintage Clouds is a former winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but the Sue Smith-trained grey has failed to reach those heights this season, and will be having his fourth run in the Scottish Grand National. Seventh in the 2017 race, he improved the following year when a decent third in 2018, while he last contested the event back in 2019 when he was a creditable sixth.

3. Kitty's Light - J Tudor - C Williams

Vastly improving six-year-old that has run some excellent races this season, but has just struggled to get his head in front. The Christian Williams-trained six-year-old kicked off his season with an excellent second placed finish in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, while he's been a regular at Kempton recently, and his eye-catching staying-on second in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase in February means he looks potentially well treated off a mark of 143.

4. Fantastikas - S Twiston-Davies - N Twiston-Davies

Placed in all five hurdles starts for Nigel Twiston-Davies, Fantastikas has shaped into a real smart novice chaser this season, and his third behind subsequent Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner L'Homme Presse in the Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in top notch form. Could only finish seventh in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but is still open to significant improvement over fences, so could be a huge player.

5. Fidux - D Jacob - A King

With over 50 races under Rules on his CV, Alan King's Fidux is a real battle-hardened performer ,but he's struggled to get his head in front with regularity in recent times, and he was last seen being well beaten by Two For Gold at Doncaster in December. Dropped 2lbs by the handicapper, he's now only 2lbs higher than his last winning mark, but this is going to be tough for him.

6. Jersey Bean - B Powell - O Sherwood

Four wins from 11 chase starts has shown Jersey Bean has relished the switch to fences, and Oliver Sherwood's charge warmed up for this event with a fine staying victory at Haydock back in November. Off the track since then, he will be 5lbs higher in Saturday's Scottish Grand National, but with more potential improvement to come, the nine-year-old could be a real each-way play.

7. Win My Wings - Mr R James (7) - C Williams

Four wins from his last six starts, Win My Wings is a very upwardly mobile performer, who was last seen storming to victory in the Eider Chase at Newcastle. A victory over four miles at the north east venue shows that the trip will hold no worries for the nine-year-old, but the 8lbs rise will certainly not help matters. Trainer Christian Williams has called on a smart amateur to take off 7lbs, but Win My Wings will need another career best, which he is capable of.

8. Ashtown Lad - H Skelton - D Skelton

Another intriguing novice chaser taking his chance here, Ashtown Lad was no match for top notch Graded performer Ahoy Senor at Newbury on his second chase start (beaten 71 lengths), but he was a lot closer to that same Lucinda Russell-trained Ahoy Senor in the Grade 2 Towton at Warwick, as he was only beaten seven lengths. Now sent into the hustle and bustle of a top staying handicap, Dan Skelton's raider could be a notable surprise package.

9. The Wolf - A Heskin - O Murphy

Tenth in the Ultima at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, The Wolf has been knocking on the door this season, as he has bagged the silver medal on his last two starts at Cheltenham and Musselburgh. Rated 2lbs higher for this event, Olly Murphy's raider is certainly able to deliver off a mark of 139, and is another key player in a wide open betting heat.

10. Streets Of Doyen - K Buckley (5) - J McConnell

Fourth in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree last season, Streets Of Doyen has had an indifferent time of things over fences, as having won on his chasing debut he then refused to race at Cheltenham in November. He returned to Prestbury Park for the festival, where he was a 150/1 shot for the Brown Advisory, and he was pulled-up, so it's hard to get a grip on his chances.

11. Stormy Judge - D Mullins - P Fahy

Victorious in two tough handicap chases at Naas and Navan at the end of last season, Pat Fahy's Stormy Judge is a fascinating Irish runner for this year's Scottish showpiece. Last seen finishing fifth in the Leinster National at Naas in mid-March off a mark of 139, the seven-year-old runs off the same mark on Saturday and could be very tough to bet if replicating his displays at the end of last season.

12. Via Dolorosa - T Scudamore - D Pipe

Has found his form of late winning impressively at Southwell and Fakenham off marks of 120 and 127, but will have a huge task to continue his winning run as the handicapper has upped him another 10lbs, so a mark of 137 looks tough in a hotter race. David Pipe's charge is one of the form contenders lining up, though, so has to be given some respect for a shrewd operation.

13. Prime Venture - A Wedge - E Williams

A surprise winner of the Veterans' Handicap Chase series final at Sandown in January, Prime Venture has struggled to improve on that 18/1 success, and he was last seen finishing a well beaten third at Newbury. Dropped 2lbs for that effort, but still sits 5lbs higher than that Sandown mark, so has to work to do to land a blow here.

14. Chirico Vallis - R McLernon - N Mulholland

A real model of consistency that beat Kitty's Light at Chepstow when they clashed earlier in the season. Chirico Vallis has since finished a fine third in the Classic Chase at Warwick over 3m 5f, while he followed that up with another third placed finish over three miles at Doncaster. Neil Mulholland's raider will relish the test of stamina the Scottish Grand National has to offer, so he could be doing all his best work late on.

15. Innisfeee Lad - B Hughes - D Dennis

A dour stayer that finished third in the Borders National at Kelso over four miles earlier in the season, Innisfree Lad showed his love for a stamina test as he was last seen finishing third to Win My Wings over four miles in the Eider Chase at Newcastle. Dropped 1lb for that outing, he lines up off 134, and if the David Dennis-trained contender can get into a rhythm then he could be on the vicinity.

16.  One More Fleurie - C Todd (3) - I Williams

The Ian Williams-trained eight-year-old ended last season with an excellent win in a novices' handicap chase at Ayr during the Scottish National meeting, and he's back for another crack at the festival, but this time takes in the big one. Pulled up in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury, he was last seen finishing 17th in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, so will need to recapture some form to star here.

17. Major Dundee - T Cannon - A King

Two wins from three career starts over fences, Major Dundee is certainly going the right way for Alan King, and the Barbury Castle seven-year-old heads to Ayr on the back of wins at Fakenham and Bangor, but he failed to land the hat-trick when second at Newbury. Lots more to come no doubt, but could be a little soon his career to sparkle in such a hard fought race.

18. History Of Fashion - P Enright - P Fahy

Pat Fahy's second runner in the race and History Of Fashion warmed up for a crack at the Eider in February with a win at Down Royal, but he unseated in the Newcastle showpiece, so it's unknown how close to Win My Wings he'd have got. Third at Navan on his last start, the Irish raider will need to launch a career best display to feature.

19. Court Master - R Patrick - M Scudamore

A real consistent performer this season, Court Master was an excellent second in the Peter O'Sullevan, before he went on to finish third behind Commodore at Cheltenham. A win at Newcastle was followed by a fourth placed finish in the Eider at the same track, so he heads north of the border in great form and could be one of those at the lower end of the weights that goes close.

20. Ask A Honey Bee - C Brace - F O'Brien

Ended last season competing in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (finished 14th) and Ask A Honey Bee's progression over fences has been solid as he's racked up three second placed finishes and a first from five runs over the larger obstacles. Still more likely to come from Fergal O'Brien's runner, but may lack the class of some of his rivals here.

21. The Ferry Master - R Mania - S Thomson

Just touched off at Newcastle last time out, Sandy Thomson's The Ferry Master looks capable of being better than his current mark of 128 as he ran a decent race at Newcastle in the Rehearsal Chase off 132, so if he can replicate that performance here then he could be one with a featherweight on their back that could be battling it out for top honours.

22. El Paso Wood - P Armson (7) - D Pipe

A regular winner in France, El Paso Wood was a faller on his first start for David Pipe in the Becher Chase at Aintree, but he showed when winning the Somerset National that he excels over marathon trips and is entitled to take his chance here. A regular at the track this season, he was last seen finishing fourth in the Midlands Grand National a few weeks ago, so he could outrun his lofty odds here.

23. Cool Mix - A Doyle (7) - I Jardine

Fifth in the 2021 Scottish Grand National, Cool Mix will run off a 6lb lower mark in the 2022 renewal and with a 7lb claimer on his back he's well weighted to run a big race again for Iain Jardine. Winless all season, he was last seen finishing second at Musselburgh, but having been placed on a few occasions this term he can't be written off at the bottom of the weights.

24. Strong Economy - D Fox - I Duncan

Last seen winning at Ayr in January 2021, Strong Economy has struggled to find any sort of consistency in recent seasons, and having fallen last time out, he will need to improve significantly to play a part in what looks an extremely fascinating renewal of the 2022 Scottish Grand National on Saturday afternoon.