Harriet Graham will be eyeing a fairytale return to the Coral Scottish Grand National after going from stand-in clerk to contender as the trainer saddles 6-1 favourite Aye Right
- Graham’s last involvement in the Coral Scottish Grand National was as an official
- She was a stand-in clerk of the course at Ayr and helped the race run smoothly
- She will attempt to win Sunday’s marathon contest as a trainer with Aye Right
- Callum Bewley’s mount has not won in six races but he has gone close
Harriet Graham’s last involvement in the Coral Scottish Grand National was as an official — a stand-in clerk of the course at Ayr whose job was to ensure the biggest day in jump racing north of the border went smoothly.
Jedburgh-based Graham will attempt to win Sunday’s marathon contest as a trainer when she saddles 6-1 favourite Aye Right.
Callum Bewley’s mount has not won in six races this season but he has gone close in all of his steeplechase runs.
Harriet Graham’s (R) last involvement in the Coral Scottish Grand National was as an official
He came third in the Charlie Hall Chase, the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase and second to both Cloth Cap in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and Takingrisks in the Sky Bet Chase.
Graham said: ‘It’s been frustrating but we have had a great season with him. We are hoping for better luck, it would just be nice to have a No 1 by his name.
‘My feeling is that he will have the stamina. He has finished his races really well in the past, never been out on his feet and recovered quickly.
‘The way he runs means the races play to his strengths — he kind of breaks other horses’ hearts.’
She will attempt to win Sunday’s marathon contest as a trainer with Aye Right (above)
However, Callum Bewley’s mount has not won in six races this season but he has gone close
Aye Right, owned by Geoff and Elspeth Adam, carries 11st 11lb. To win would be the best weight-defying performance since Grey Abbey carried 11st 12lb to victory in 2004.
Graham, who trains just eight horses, also acts as clerk at Perth and Musselburgh. This is her first runner in the Scottish National.
Aye Right heads a strong contingent of Scottish trainers who will make up nine of the 23 entries in Sunday’s race.
They include Lucinda Russell-trained Mighty Thunder, runner-up in the Midlands Grand National, Nick Alexander-trained Lake View Lad, a first fence faller in last Saturday’s Grand National, and Dingo Dollar, an impressive winner at Newcastle on his first run for Sandy Thomson.
