LET’S HAVE SOME THUN

Newsboy forecasts Thunder in Scottish Grand National

MIGHTY THUNDER can go like greased lightning in the Coral Scottish Grand National (3.35, ITV) at Ayr tomorrow.

Tom Scudamore was out of luck on favourite Cloth Cap in last Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree. But a late call-up to replace Mighty Thunder’s regular jockey Blair Campbell, who has a hand injury, gives Scudamore a shot at redemption. Having scored at Hexham on his first two tries over fences, the Lucinda Russell-trained eight-yearold flopped at Kelso at the beginning of December.

But Mighty Thunder atoned in handsome fashion with a 20-length success in the Edinburgh National at Musselburgh two months later. And my selection put up another personal best when going under by one length to the well-handicapped Time To Get Up in the Midlands National on the Saturday of Cheltenham Festival week.

Mighty Thunder is 5lb higher in the weights but has plenty of scope for further progress on his sixth outing over the larger obstacles, and can keep the £84,405 first prize in Scotland.