WILLIE MULLINS is being backed to ‘clean up’ and land the 1-2-3 in the second Grand National in a row.
The legendary Irish trainer dominated last weekend’s Grand National at Aintree with four of the top five finishers.
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And bookies are predicting an equally dominant display in the Scottish feature at Ayr on Saturday afternoon.
Title-chasing Mullins is throwing the kithcen sink at landing a second British jumps trainer crown in a row.
And though the stars on show aren’t his first string, his second, third and even fourth is often good enough to get the job done on British shores.
Ladbrokes make him just 6-1 to fill the top three spots in the £200,000 marathon race.
Mullins will have six runners, with last year’s hero Macdermott – who won by a nose in a thrilling head-bobber with the returning Surrey Quest – back to defend.
But the market is led by Chosen Witness, who having been 16-1 is now just 7-2 with race sponsors Coral.
Scottish Grand National odds
Odds via race sponsors Coral
7-2 Chosen Witness
7 Macdermott
12 Captain Cody, Rock My Way
14 Hasthing, Olympic Man, Surrey Quest, Walking On Air
16 Henry’s Friend, Spanish Harlem, The Kniphand
20 Sail Away, Wiseguy
25 Brandt, Klarc Kent, Our Power
33 Famous Bridge, Flash De Touzaine, Magna Sam, Snipe
50 Dom Of Mary, Grozni
100 Mr Incredible
Mullins’ task has been made easier by Lucinda Russell pulling both her runners – Apple Away and Whistle Stop Tour.
But he still has the top three in the market anyway, with Chosen Witness followed by 7-1 Macdermott and 12-1 Captain Cody, who is the same price as Joe Tizzard’s Rock My Way.
Mullins will also run 14-1 Olympic Man, 16-1 Spanish Harlem and 25-1 Klarc Kent.
The Closutton boss left his two big guns – County Hurdle winner Kargese and Absurde – out of the Scottish Champion Hurdle.
But his Ethical Diamond looks a strong market leader at 11-4, fancied ahead of Paul Nicholl’s well-backed Kabral Du Mathan, whose form figures this season are 1-2-2.
Ladbrokes are 4-6 for any Mullins horse to win, with the firm’s Alex Apati saying: “All eyes are on Willie Mullins this weekend, and the odds suggest he could well clean up for the second weekend in a row.”
While Coral’s David Stevens said: “As with last weekend’s Randox Grand National, Willie Mullins is sending out a team of six runners for the Coral Scottish Grand National, including the first two in our betting.
“So it’s no surprise he is odds-on to win the race for a second successive time, and as was the case 12 months ago, the outcome of the £200,000 race could be crucial in his trainers’ title battle with Dan Skelton.”
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