Ground Continues To Dry At Ayr

Ayr officials are still trying to obtain the best possible going conditions for the Coral Scottish Grand National on Saturday.

Despite continued watering, the lack of rain has led to the ground hardening to good to firm, having been good in places on Wednesday morning.

'We have been watering all day, 24 hours a day, but it's just drying out. We've had no rain whatsoever for about a month,' said Ayr's head of PR Iain Ferguson.

'We will water all the way through. There is very little, if any, rain forecast. The best chance of rain is probably on Saturday, the day of the race itself.

'We should be no worse than good to firm. The aim is to get it as near to good as possible, whether that's achievable or not.'

John Quinn has warned punters to hold fire on backing ante-post favourite Character Building.

The seven-year-old is the general 6-1 market leader after finishing second to subsequent Irish Grand National winner Butler's Cabin at Cheltenham last month.

Quinn said: 'I will take him up there and walk the track myself, but my owners (who walked the track on Wednesday) know what they are talking about and they said to me it's fast summer ground.

'I wouldn't back him at the moment. I would wait and back him when he goes around the parade ring on Saturday.'

(C) PA Sport