Rock ready to roll in Scottish National

Joe Tizzard can spring a minor surprise by sending out Rock My Way to win the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.

All the pre-race chat has revolved around the Willie Mullins battalion, with six contenders chasing the £200,000 on offer as the reigning champion trainer tries to steamroller his way to a second British title.

It is Tizzard who can take home the lion's share of the money though, with Rock My Way arriving in Scotland on the back of a fine performance in defeat at the Cheltenham Festival.

Having just his second start for the trainer, Rock My Way found only the well-treated Haiti Couleurs too good in the National Hunt Chase, coming home a 4.5-length runner-up despite what was an average round of jumping.

The handicapper has raised him just 1lb for that defeat which puts him on a very handy mark in a contest which often produces a novice winner.

Rock My Way has yet to tackle this 6400m trip, but he was not stopping up the Cheltenham hill and is one who will appreciate the sound conditions, with the combination of a tongue tie and blinkers retained having seemingly worked well last time.

While Mullins might miss out on first prize in the main event, he can bag just over £56,000 with Bunting in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle.

The Closutton handler has multiple options in this 3200m affair but preference is for Bunting despite him being pulled up when reasonably well fancied in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.

The 4200m looked to find him out that day as he raced very keenly, but dropped back in distance here, a rating of 139 looks workable judged on that performance.

The Flat action ups another notch at Newbury with the first set of Classic trials and it is Al Qudra who can make full use of his race fitness in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes.

He impressed with a Listed win at Ascot last summer before being narrowly denied in Grade One company at Woodbine, with a slow start and troubled passage making his 1.25-length defeat more laudable.

Al Qudra then suffered a similarly unlucky spin at the Breeders' Cup meeting when James Doyle was nearly unseated, but he did disappoint in Dubai in January before making amends with a Qatar victory the following month.

The No Nay Never colt might have a bit to find on the ratings with the likes of Rashabar, but he has the benefit of two runs already and might be slightly underestimated.

Formal can continue the Sir Michael Stoute legacy as she lines up in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes.

Now with Andrew Balding, she won two of her three juvenile outings for the now-retired Stoute, before a lacklustre effort on her final run when upped to Group Two level at Newmarket.

Formal can be forgiven that run on ground that was possibly softer than ideal and she hails from a family that improves with age.

Sunway can make a winning return to action in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes.

A Group One scorer as a juvenile, he failed to hit the target in seven outings last year, although he did place second in the Irish Derby and was then awarded third in the St Leger after taking a pretty hefty bump at a crucial stage.

A wide draw did not help his cause when 10th in the Arc, but Sunway was below the required standard that day and should find this a more viable target. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

AYR: Race 1 Homme Public, Race 2 Ideal Des Bordes, Race 3 Bunting, Race 4 Fox's Fancy, Race 5 ROCK MY WAY (NAP), Race 6 C'Est Ta Chance, Race 7 The Jukebox Kid, Race 8 Kalkbrenner.

BANGOR: Race 1 Sign Again, Race 2 Rock On Rita, Race 3 Don Rafael, Race 4 Little Dipper, Race 5 Yealand, Race 6 Serious Chat, Race 7 Hay Max.

BELLEWSTOWN: Race 1 Shaboozee, Race 2 Kaptain Bay, Race 3 Fratas, Race 4 Imadpour, Race 5 Bal Kauto, Race 6 Not May, Race 7 Coyote Spirit.

BRIGHTON: Race 1 The Hrse Horse, Race 2 Dapper Charm, Race 3 Fast Flo, Race 4 Macari, Race 5 Luna Effect, Race 6 Otago, Race 7 Boujee Gold, Race 8 Comedian Leader.

CURRAGH: Race 1 Extravagant, Race 2 Rajala, Race 3 Aegina, Race 4 Cuban Grey, Race 5 One Look, Race 6 Neo Smart, Race 7 Jan Brueghel, Race 8 Sarahmae.

NEWBURY: Race 1 Sunway, Race 2 Formal, Race 3 Al Qudra, Race 4 Urban Lion, Race 5 King Of Narnia, Race 6 Gold Cup Day, Race 7 Lone Piper.

NOTTINGHAM: Race 1 Sergeant Mayer, Race 2 Star Zia, Race 3 Captain Potter, Race 4 Secret Theory, Race 5 Risen Again, Race 6 Whizz By, Race 7 Fifty Sent.

THIRSK: Race 1 Polly Darling, Race 2 Montpellier, Race 3 Array, Race 4 King Of Fury, Race 5 Arrange, Race 6 Filly One, Race 7 Lord Abama, Race 8 Emerald Army.