Ante-post / Paul Jacobs / 13 April 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

Brondesbury looks at the odds ahead of Saturday's Scottish Grand National at Ayr where Poker De Sivola, Chief Dan George and Meanus Dandy head the betting

There can be little doubt about it, this year's Scottish National at Ayr on Saturday simply doesn't have the strength in depth of previous renewals. As for a likely winner I fancy we could see Chief Dan George improve on his fifth pacing from 2009 and reverse last year's form with second and third Gone to Lunch and Out The Black.

Trainer James Moffatt told me: "He has definitely improved this term and is not badly handicapped, but I wouldn't want the weights to go up again as 11-7 is enough on his back. Remember he is relatively fresh to jumping fences and last year he wasn't suited by the stop-start gallop

"They quickened away from him coming to the home turn only for him to run on again when the race was over. He has come out of the Cheltenham race well and I am hoping he has a few pounds to play with."

There are a couple of dark horses worth considering in the entry, namely Scots Dragoon ([29.0]) and Hold The Pin ([46.0]).

The former has been brought along steadily this season by Nicky Henderson and there was plenty to like about his winning run in the Grand Military Gold Cup success where he jumped superbly and stayed on well.

That was only his 10th start over fences, only unplaced on three occasions (twice over an insufficient trip), and there could be more to come from this likeable eight-year-old.

Hold The Pin comes from the much vaunted Tony Martin yard and has certainly hit form at the right time.

The 11-year-old normally goes well during the spring months and was hardly off the bridle when landing a staying handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on testing going last time out.

That looked to be the perfect warm up for this race and the fact that he has run well on all his three starts on good ground augurs well for this encounter.

Also worthy of consideration are Meanus Dandy ([10.0]) and Air Force One ([55.0]). The former hacked up in a weak contest at Sandown last time out, but as a lightly raced novice is surely ahead of his mark of 128 and such profiled runners have a good record in this race.

Air Force One is reported in good form by trainer Charlie Mann despite now completing on his last two starts, but beware he does have the Bet365 Cup as an alternative engagement.

Tags: Air Force One, Bet365 Cup, Chief Dan George, Hold The Pin, Meanus Dandy, Nicky Henderson, Scots Dragoon, Scottish National, Tony Martin