A WEEK ago The Midnight Club and I managed to negotiate those Grand National fences at Aintree, admittedly in our own good time, and today it’s a case of trying to do a lot better in the Scotttish equivalent at Ayr.

GORDON Elliott, whose already superb season includes winners at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, heads to Ayr this afternoon hoping that National Hunt Chase winner Chicago Grey can give him a first victory in the Scottish Grand National.

Big Fella Thanks will run in new colours in the John Smith’s Grand National after owner Harry Findlay sold his charge less than three weeks before the race.

Gordon Elliott stole the show with a fantastic 101-1 double as Team Ireland claimed six of the seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.

Chicago Grey was given a fine waiting ride by Derek O'Connor before coming out on top in the 141st Year of National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

Jason Maguire’s appeal against a seven-day ban that would rule him out of the ride on leading Stan James Champion Hurdle hope Peddlers Cross at Cheltenham next month will be heard on Thursday.

The flowering partnership between Paul Nicholls and Noel Fehily continued apace at Cheltenham when Sam Winner (4-1) ran out an easy victor of the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, the first race on Paddy Power Gold Cup day.

Dougie Costello enjoyed a red-letter day at Cheltenham with a 28-1 double at the home of National Hunt racing today.

Finian's Rainbow simply outclassed the opposition in the Hope Safe T-Bar Novices' Hurdle at Ascot today.

MOST people probably think the last week has been all about the likes of Master Minded and Denman, but I disagree.

Nicky Henderson polished his championship contenders as Punchestowns and Binocular readied themselves for battle at the Cheltenham Festival with victory at Sandown.

Denman dutifully carried out a personal appearance at Exeter today with a racecourse gallop.