Fine Rightly stands out in the Scottish Grand National odds
Published:
Look beyond Fine Rightly’s 11st 8lb weight allocation and there’s plenty to suggest he should be shorter than 25/1 to win the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
There seems to be a general feeling that this year’s running may veer away from a trend towards lesser-burdened victors, which has seen nine of the last 10 winners carry less than 11st.
Top weight Cause Of Causes is 8/1 co-favourite, while Seeyouatmidnight (11st 6lbs) is one of three 14/1 shots sharing joint-third favouritism.
Unlike either of that pair, or any other runner in the race, Fine Rightly is a course scorer.
In fact, he has won three times in seven career outings at Ayr – landing a bumper, a novice hurdle and a handicap chase – and making the medals in all bar one of the other visits.
He has amassed some intriguing form with both his Scottish National rivals and other recent names of note over the last year or so too.
Last March saw him best recent Aintree Grand National victor Rule The World at Naas, while he finished six lengths behind subsequent Cheltenham Festival scorer Empire of Dirt when giving that one 14lb in weight at Leopardstown in January.
The last named is now rated 15lb higher after scoring at Prestbury Park.
Causes Of Causes and Heathfield (14/1) finished down the field in the former contest and re-oppose him at Ayr on substantially inferior terms.
Since then Crawford’s eight-year-old, five times a winner from nine runs over the larger obstacles, has finished third in the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup and most recently demolished a 3m heavy ground chase at Cork.
The going is currently described as soft at Ayr, with more rain expected on Friday and Fine Rightly’s form suggests this is a boon to his chances.
Eight of his nine wins have come on soft or heavy ground, while he has never finished out of the places on the latter going description.
No jockey has yet nailed his flag to the mast of the Irish raider, but whoever does so will be lining up with a live, underrated, chance come 4:10 on Saturday.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
