TAKING A LEAF OUT OF SCOTTISH RACING

THE significance of not only the winner but second, fourth and fifth from nine Scottish runners in Sunday’s Coral Scottish National should not be overlooked.

Scotland might not yet be ready to take on the Irish, but four years ago horses and owners were disappearing from Scotland at an alarming rate. However, Scottish Racing, based around the country’s five racecourses, started promoting a Scottish racing industry and, it would seem, this is one of the results of that.

Indeed, it is something English jump racing can learn from in the face of the Irish onslaught. There’ll be no overnight fix, but in four or five years’ time, perhaps English racing can turn things around if someone takes a leaf out of Scottish Racing.