skip to main content

Nicholls pulls Sam Winner from Grand National

Sam Winner (r) will go in the Scottish Grand National
Sam Winner (r) will go in the Scottish Grand National

Sam Winner is to miss the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree to wait for the Scottish equivalent at Ayr a week later.

The eight-year-old was pulled up at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup won by Coneygree, and trainer Paul Nicholls had warned he was not a certain runner in the world's greatest steeplechase, for which he had been a general 33-1 chance.

The Ditcheat trainer tweeted on Sunday morning: "Sam Winner is not running in the Grand National Saturday but going to Ayr on (the) 18th for Scottish Grand National."

Nicholls still has a number of leading chances for the Aintree spectacular, including Rocky Creek and Unioniste.

Mon Parrain and Rebel Rebellion are others expected to be in the Nicholls squad on Saturday.

Read Next