Chicago Grey fancied in Scottish National field

Chicago Grey is fancied to do well in the Ayr showpiece on Saturday Chicago Grey is likely to start off as favourite for the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday (1525 BST).The Gordon Elliott trained-horse won the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup at Cheltenham a month ago. Beshabar, who finished four-and-a-half lengths behind Chicago Grey at Cheltenham, also runs. Neptune Collonges and Tony McCoy will attempt to defy top weight, while last year's winner Merigo is running off a 6lb higher mark this time. McCoy will concede over a stone all round on Paul Nicholls' 10-year-old, with the trainer also running The Minack, the mount of Ruby Walsh.
Always Right, a former point-to-pointer who followed an emphatic win at Kelso with success in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster, is sure to be fancied. And Midlands National winner Minella Four Star is in with a shout but he will have to defy a career high mark to experience glory. That's Rhythm is the sole representative from a handful of possibles that ran in the Grand National at Aintree last week. He fell at the first fence. 2008 victor Iris De Balme and Jerry Scott's Gone To Lunch, second in 2009, are among the others to take the plunge.
Merigo is aiming to become the first horse since Androma (1984-85) to win the Scottish Grand National in successive years. The 10-year-old chestnut gelding has been out of sorts this year but Caithness-born owner Raymond Green is in confident mood. "Winning last year was very special with my son-in-law Timmy (Murphy) in the saddle," he said. "Merigo was very impressive and won by nine lengths. It was a wonderful day. "I've owned Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot winners but, as a proud Scotsman, I had always wanted to win the Scottish Grand National." "Merigo has really blossomed in recent weeks - he's a spring horse and he must have a very decent each-way chance on Saturday. He's going to love the good going."  Coral Scottish Grand National - sponsors bet: 4-1 Chicago Grey, 6-1 Beshabar, 8-1 Always Right, The Minack, 10-1 Minella Four Star, 14-1 Be There In Five, Blazing Bailey, Merigo, 16-1 Neptune Collonges, 18-1 Ouzbeck, 20-1 Poker De Sivola, 22-1 Fair Along, 33-1 bar