Forster’s keen to conjure up an Oliver twist
Sandy Forster’s fami ly heritage suggests she is destined to get her name on the Coral Scottish Grand National roll of honour.
Forster is granddaughter of the legendary Ken Oliver, who landed the race a recordequalling five times as a trainer and once as an amateur rider.
Now the Yetholm handler bids for glory herself with her veteran Claud And Goldie, ridden by regular partner Richie McLernon.
Although he is 12, the strapping gelding is only approaching the end of his third season under Rules having appeared a total of a dozen times.
Former champion point to point pilot Forster said: “He came to the game late and hasn’t many miles on the clock at all.
“He massive and must be all of 18hh, which means he is a very big horse indeed!
“All his winning form has been at Kelso including when winning the Edinburgh Gin Chase there in February. He goes well at Kelso but that’s where we run him a lot as it’s our local course.
“Richie and him get on well together and they were a wee bit unlucky last time as he made a bad mistake which resulted in Richie losing both his stirrups.
“They kept going but Richie eventually pulled him up turning for home.
“Hopefully it will different at Ayr and he’s deserved his chance in a really big race. It was Richie who kept at us to go for it and now we are.
“I’m really proud of my grandfather’s achievements and they gave me so much inspiration. It would be nice to follow in his footsteps at least once!”
Claude And Goldie will be
locking horns with eight other Scottish-trained runners in what is a modern-day record tartan turn-out.
They include Lake View Lad, who took a heavy fall at the first in last week’s Randox Grand National.
His trainer Nick Alexander said: “The ground was against him at Aintree and we were all mightily relieved when we knew he was okay as it was a horrible fall.
“He has top-weight and I will make sure is it properly on the soft side of good.”
Lucinda Russell, Sandy Thomson and Iain Jardine saddle two runners apiece with Jardine represented by this season’s Borders National hero Dino Boy and springheeled grey Cool Mix.
Thomson, a close third with Seyouatmidnight in 2016, fancies the chances of his pair The Ferrymaster and ex-Alan King inmate Dingo Dollar, mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes.
The Greenlaw trainer said: “‘Midnight’ might have come second if he hadn’t made a mistake at the last and these two will both love the ground.
“When Dingo Dol lar came to us the plan was always to have one run then target the Scottish National and he should stay as he’s stoutly-bred.”