Talking Horses: Stormy Judge can rule in Scottish Grand National

Pat Fahy has not had a winner from 35 starters in Britain since Quadco took the Champion Bumper at Aintree in April 2000, but the bare stats do not tell the full story, as most were running at the fiercely-competitive spring Festivals and he has rattled the woodwork on several occasions.

Fahy has two live contenders for the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday in Stormy Judge (3.35) and History Of Fashion, and the seven-year-old grey is an excellent bet at around 9-1 to capture the £85,000 first prize for his small County Carlow stable.

Stormy Judge jumped impeccably in the Leinster National at Naas last month, when he was racing off Saturday’s mark of 139, and Danny Mullins hit the front two out before paying for his rapid move into contention in the closing stages.

Mullins will surely put that experience to good use on Saturday and the step up to a marathon trip should also bring further improvement from Stormy Judge, whose half-brother Mister Fogpatches was a close third for the Fahy stable 12 months ago.

Ayr 1.15: Sebastopol is the likely favourite here after a comfortable win at Kempton last time, but his overall strike-rate is underwhelming and Malystic looks a better bet. He was still going well when unseating his rider five out at Doncaster last month, his first start since April 2021, and champion-elect Brian Hughes is back in the saddle.

Newbury 1.35: Royaume Uni, one of several progressive novices in this field, posted a career-best with something to spare at Fontwell last time and is just 6lb higher in the weights here.

Ayr 1.50: Sounds Russian has progressed rapidly since getting off the mark over fences at Sedgefield in December and the form of his 22-length win at Kelso in February was backed up by a