Horse Racing tips: Mick Fitzgerald’s 4 he hopes will score on Scottish Grand National day

Mick Fitz is all over Saturday's racing action and he likes the look of Kitty’s Light in the Scottish Grand National (15:35).

By / Horse Racing Tips / 1 year ago

Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday Tips:

13:50 – Ayr – Temptationinmilan
14:25 – Ayr – Colonel Mustard
15:00 – Ayr – Balco Coastal
15:35 – Ayr – Kitty’s Light

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

It’s another National weekend, but this time it’s the Scottish version at Ayr, and it looks as competitive as ever. We also have a good supporting card on ITV with decent prize money on offer.

13:50 – Ayr – Temptationinmilan

Charles Byrnes is a name the bookies fear and for good reason. His son Philip rides Temptationinmilan, this son of Milan and the weight he receives from City Chief can sway things in his favour with his rider’s valuable 5lb claim. Forward Plan will love the drying conditions and he is definitely another player.

14:25 – Ayr – Colonel Mustard

I am a huge fan of Colonel Mustard and he has been consistent at the highest level. Having been placed in last year’s County Hurdle, he ticks all the boxes for this contest. It would be a lovely success for his Irish trainer Lorna Fowler – who doesn’t train many – on the big stage. I nearly sided with Soaring Glory. He will love the conditions and the faster they go the better it will suit him.

He’s a player as is last year‘s winner Anna Bunina, though she is she is 12lb higher than when winning this contest last year. She’s very consistent. It’s amazing to think that she has run 14 times since the win in this contest last season. She is a remarkable mare but the 12lbs rise may well anchor her.

15:00 – Ayr – Balco Coastal

This is very much a “ground dependent” call. Balco Coastal, this son of Coastal Path is very much at home on this surface and he fared slightly better than some of the other contenders in this when last seen at the Cheltenham Festival. He is a very good jumper and made Gerri Colombe pull out all the stops to beat him at Sandown. Datsalrightgino is a very hard horse to get a handle on as he’s jumping is sometimes really good and sometimes ordinary.

These are funny fences at this track and they don’t always suit certain horses. If they suit him, he has the conditions and has to be a player. Thunder Rock was very disappointing at Cheltenham but is much better than that. He’s a course winner over hurdles here and beat Solo at Ascot in November over fences and likes good ground. Balco Coastal is the more solid performer though and I’ll stick with him.

15:35 – Ayr – Kitty’s Light

I don’t know how trainer Christian Williams manages it but this son of Nathanial Kitty’s Light won the Eider Chase at Newcastle on his last start, but still races of a 3lbs lower mark than when finishing second in this race last year. For that reason, he looks the safest shout in this contest. The only concern is that his jumping is getting sloppy and it could catch up with him in a 23-runner field.

Monbeg Genius was third to subsequent Aintree Grand National winner Corach Rambler at Cheltenham and that looks a very good run now against what proved to be a well handicapped horse. If he performs to that level off a 5lb higher mark he will definitely be on the premises as he is a very good jumper and a strong traveller in his races.

The team involved with last week’s winner Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox have Your Own Story and this seven-year-old looks a dour stayer, but just lacks a change of gear, while both Sandy Thompson-trained runners have chances.

Elvis Mail won nicely at Kelso but I worry that he mightn’t travel sweetly in this race and that will count against him in a big field. However, he loves this track and has won on varying types of ground. Stablemate Empire Steel has never run in a race with this size field. It is a real baptism of fire to have no big race experience and then be chucked into this contest. He does like conditions and is definitely a player if he can take to it.

Of the others, Magna Sam was a surprise winner at Musselburgh, but was authoritative when doing it. A similar type of performance would see this horse hit the places and least and Paddy’s paying the first 6 home.

Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday Tips:

13:50 – Ayr – Temptationinmilan
14:25 – Ayr – Colonel Mustard
15:00 – Ayr – Balco Coastal
15:35 – Ayr – Kitty’s Light

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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