Trainer Henrietta Knight, who saddled Best Mate to win the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, could be chasing another big prize after entering three horses in the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr next month. Underfoot conditions will determine running plans for her entries Chives, Maximise and Southern Star.
A total of 79 horses have been entered for Scotland's most valuable jumps race, which is run April 20.
There has been no Scottish-trained winner of the four miles and one furlong contest since Ken Oliver's Cockle Strand in 1982 but Len Lungo is hoping that the weights will rise so his Ballystone (9st 1lb), a winner at Catterick last time out, has a realistic chance.
Grey Abbey (10st 6lb) is an Ayr specialist, having won five chases and a hurdle at the track. A stable spokesman for the eight-year-old's trainer, Barry Murtagh, said: "Barry will be delighted with 10st 6lb - the only thing is that Grey Abbey is running at Wetherby on Easter Monday and if he were to win there he gets a 5lb penalty.
Last season's leading owner Sir Robert Ogden has three of the first eight in the weights in the race, with Marlborough, trained by Nicky Henderson, the top-weight with 11st 12lb, followed by Kingsmark, handled by Martin Todhunter, on 11st 9lb and the Paul Nicholls-trained Ad Hoc, second last year, on 10st 11lb. The three horses are currently scheduled to run in the Martell Grand National at Aintree on April 6.
Martin Pipe, successful with Run For Free in 1993, has 12 entries including Cyfor Malta (11st 5lb), Take Control (10st 6lb) and Iris Bleu (9st 9lb).
Filed by Laura Reynolds
