AIR RAID FOR VICENTE

VICENTE will attempt an unprecedented hat-trick of victories in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr next Saturday after unsuitably soft ground forced his defection from Aintree.

Trainer Paul Nicholls (right) said yesterday: “Trevor Hemmings, Vicente’s owner, loves the Grand National and was keen to run, but the ground has gone against him. “The forecast next week is for better weather, so he should get the ground he needs at Ayr, and we know he goes well in the race — he’s won it the last twice.”