Carberry on Philson in Scottish National

Paul Carberry will team up with Philson Run again in Saturday’s Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

The Irish rider was on board the nine-year-old when he won the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter last month and he has been booked again by trainer Nick Williams.

“Paul Carberry is riding him again, which will obviously help our chances,” said Williams.

“He came through the Uttoxeter race without a problem and we are very happy with him. He’s been doing it nicely, although we haven’t done anything drastic with him.”

Philson Run has been limited to just four starts under rules after suffering leg problems, but he has won three of those races, culminating in a career-best performance at Uttoxeter.

Williams’ charge is set to race from out of the handicap on Saturday as top-weight Take The Stand is still in the contest, leaving Philson Run on 9st 9lb.

Minimum weight in the four-mile-one-furlong race is 10st, but Williams believes it will not be too much of a disadvantage to carry the extra 5lb.

“I think the situation with the weights would be pretty much neutral for us. We would be 5lb out of the handicap if Take The Stand runs, but if he doesn’t we will carry 10st 10lb,” he said.

“Either way we have a nice weight, but if Take The Stand does run we wouldn’t be as disadvantaged as some of those beneath us in the handicap.”

Philson Run is a 10-1 chance with both William Hill and Ladbrokes, but Williams would prefer to see a bit more rain ahead of the race.

“The softer the ground the better for him really as he won on soft at Chepstow last season and it isn’t as hard on his legs,” he added.

“We’re something like third favourite for the race so the bookmakers must think we have the right credentials, and we must have a fair chance. All we can do is get him to the start – then it’s up to the jockey.”

Williams will be hoping the weather forecast is right as around 10 millimetres of rain were forecast by this afternoon.

With the going at the Craigie track currently good to soft, soft in places, that amount of rain would see a change to soft ground.

Clerk of the course Anthea Morshead said: “It’s all down to whether the forecasters are right. At the moment the back straight is a bit softer than the home straight, but that is normal.

“We are forecast dry weather from Thursday afternoon onwards, with Friday set to be dry and bright and Saturday dry and cloudy but very still.”