Scottish National news Coral Scottish Grand National favourite Gallant Oscar will run in the colours of JP McManus at Ayr on Saturday. The leading owner has bought the Tony Martin-trained nine-year-old, who will be ridden by Paul Carberry, with McManus' retained rider Tony McCoy unable to do the current allotted weight of 10st 1lb. Gallant Oscar was last seen finishing third to The Druids Nephew at the Cheltenham Festival. McCoy is instead set to ride Benvolio for Paul Nicholls. Speaking to The Irish Field, Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: "Paul Carberry will ride Gallant Oscar but the horse won't run at all if the ground dries out too much. It's fine at the moment but it is drying." Meanwhile, Dianne Sayer believes fate could play its part when Baileys Concerto goes for glory at the weekend. The nine-year-old was denied what the trainer described as "the chance for a miracle and the chance of a fairytale" after missing the cut by one for the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree last weekend. The situation was particularly heartbreaking as just over two hours after Baileys Concerto was eliminated as first reserve on Friday morning, Carlito Brigante was declared a non-runner. Sayer has dusted herself down and is eyeing swift compensation north of the border this weekend. "We're very hopeful we're going to make to Ayr on Saturday. That is most definitely the plan and at least we don't have to worry about whether he'll get in or not," said the trainer. "Last weekend was very disappointing, but you get over these things and move on and maybe it happened for a reason." Brian Hughes has steered Baileys Concerto to each of his five wins this season, but with the jockey likely to partner Cape Tribulation for boss Malcolm Jefferson on Saturday, Sayer is considering alternative options. She said: "We'd love Brian Hughes to ride him, but I would imagine he's probably committed to riding for Malcolm. "Henry Brooke rode him last time and actually came in to school him over a conventional fence, as I didn't want to send him straight back over the normal fences having schooled over the National fences at Malton last week. He's not going to be presented with what he thought he was this time a week ago! "Dougie Costello was actually the one who first came up with this race as a target, so he's another good option. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens, but Baileys is a relatively straightforward horse." Sandra Hughes is in a similarly positive frame in mind with Raz De Maree, who was third reserve for Aintree. Hughes trained Thunder And Roses to win the Irish Grand National little over a week ago and is keen for Midlands National runner-up Raz De Maree to head for Ayr, as long as there is some cut in the ground. She said: "We thought he was going to get in at Aintree, so to miss out was disappointing, but maybe there was a reason for it. You have to look at it that way or you'd drive yourself bonkers. "The plan is to go to Ayr with him, I just hope they get the rain as he wouldn't want the ground too quick."
