Knight enters three for Scottish National

Wantage trainer Henrietta Knight, who saddled Best Mate to win the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, could be chasing another big prize after entering three horses in the Stg100,000 Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr next month.

Her entries are all novices and ran in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Chives, who finished third, and sixth home Maximise have both been given 10st 6lb, while Southern Star, who pulled up in the Cheltenham race, is on 9st 12lb.

Underfoot conditions will determine Miss Knight`s running plans.

'I can`t really say what will happen at this stage. One of them might run _ it depends on the ground,' she said today.

'Chives would want it soft and the other one (Maximise) would want it firm. Southern Star wants good ground.

'Chives might go to Liverpool.'

A total of 79 horses have been entered for Scotland`s most valuable jumps race, which is run April 20th.

There has been no Scottish-trained winner of the four miles and one furlong contest since Ken Oliver`s Cockle Strand in 1982 but Len Lungo is hoping that the weights will rise so his Ballystone (9st 1lb), a winner at Catterick last time out, has a realistic chance.

The Carrutherstown trainer said: 'Ballystone is fit and healthy and he`ll be staying in the race and we`re hoping that we might be able to run him.'

The nine-year-old has four career victories to his name, including a novices` handicap chase at Ayr in November, 2000, and the furthest he has won over is three miles and two furlongs.

Asked if he thought his charge would stay, Lungo replied: 'I don`t know - I`d only be guessing as you don`t get many races over the distance - he`s by Roselier so he`s bred to stay.

'We would run on any ground that`s not extreme. We wouldn`t run on firm or heavy but anything in between we`ll take it.

'Ballystone is fine - he hasn`t run for a while simply because it`s been bottomless ground and we don`t think he wants it heavy.'

Grey Abbey (10st 6lb) is an Ayr specialist, having won five chases and a hurdle at the track.

A stable spokesman for the eight-year-old`s trainer, Barry Murtagh, said: 'Barry will be delighted with 10st 6lb _ the only thing is that Grey Abbey is running at Wetherby on Easter Monday and if he were to win there he gets a 5lb penalty.

'We always thought that he`d have no problem staying. He just seems to have clicked at Ayr. Brian Harding (Grey Abbey`s regular jockey) seems to think this is because the two long straights allow him to get in a jumping rhythm.

'Grey Abbey is in good form. He`s running on Bank Holiday Monday because we thought that it was a long time to leave him before the Scottish Grand National. If he runs on Monday it will be just under three weeks before Ayr which is the time he has between his races.'

Last season`s leading owner Sir Robert Ogden has three of the first eight in the weights in the race, with Marlborough, trained by Nicky Henderson, the top-weight with 11st 12lb, followed by Kingsmark, handled by Martin Todhunter, on 11st 9lb and the Paul Nicholls-trained Ad Hoc, second last year, on 10st 11lb.

The three horses are currently scheduled to run in the Martell Grand National at Aintree on April 6th.

Ogden, who also has the Philip Hobbs-trained Enrique (9st 10lb) in the Ayr feature, is currently second in this season`s owners` championship to David Johnson.

Johnson has three entries, all trained by Martin Pipe. They are Cyfor Malta (11st 5lb), Take Control (10st 6lb) and Iris Bleu (9st 9lb).

Pipe, successful with Run For Free in 1993, has the most entries, 12 as against 10 last year.

His others are Blowing Wind (10st 11lb), You`re Agoodun (10st 4lb), Royal Predica (10st 2lb), Imperial De Thaix (9st 7lb), Carryonharry (9st 6lb), Sulphur Springs (9st 2lb), Dark Stranger (9st 2lb), Nocksky (8st 9lb) and Deano`s Beeno (10st 6lb).

The last-named, a top staying hurdler, gets into his first handicap with 10st 6lb and, if running, would be appearing over fences for only the second time, having won a maiden chase at Newbury in February, 2000.

Paris Pike (10st 11lb), winner of the Scottish Grand National two years ago, is one of seven entries from trainer Ferdy Murphy _ the others being Streamstown (10st 6lb), Birkdale (9st 11lb), Ackzo (9st 10lb), Hindiana (9st 8lb), Luzcadou (9st 4lb) and Narrow Water (8st 11lb).

The joint-backing of Gala Casinos and the Daily Record of the two-day Scottish Grand National Festival has resulted in three other new sponsored races.

Gala Casinos and the Daily Record jointly sponsor the first race on the Saturday, the #30,000-added Gala Casinos Daily Record Novices` Handicap Chase, while the Gala Casinos Novices` Chase and the Daily Record Novices` Handicap Chase are run on the Friday.

Chris Kennedy of Ayr Racecourse, commented: 'With the very strong entry for the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National, we are hopeful of having a maximum field of 30 for the second year running.'