Scottish Grand National 2026 Preview: King Of Answers Heads 21-Runner Field as Mullins Seeks Historic Hat-Trick – Race Time, Runners & Odds

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The Scottish Grand National 2026 takes centre stage this Saturday at Ayr Racecourse, and the stage is set for one of the most competitive renewals in years. For anyone watching at Sportsphere24 Updates, this is the race that separates the true staying chasers from the pretenders—four gruelling miles, 27 daunting fences, and a £200,000 prize purse waiting for the horse and jockey with the most grit.

Race Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Post Time: 3:35 PM BST
Venue: Ayr Racecourse, Scotland
Distance: 4 miles (27 fences)
Total Prize Fund: £200,000 (Winner: £112,540)

The Scottish Grand National 2026 comes just one week after the Grand National at Aintree, and the jumping world has barely had time to catch its breath . Willie Mullins, fresh from his third consecutive Grand National victory with I Am Maximus, now sets his sights on a hat-trick of his own in Scotland . The Irish champion has won the last two renewals of the Scottish National—with Macdermott in 2024 and Captain Cody in 2025—and he relies on just a single runner this time around: Road To Home .

At Sportsphere24 Updates, we bring you the complete preview—every runner, every rider, the latest odds, and everything you need to know before the tapes go up.

The Main Storylines: Hat-Tricks, History, and Home Hopes

The Scottish Grand National 2026 arrives with more subplots than a television drama.

Mullins Goes for Three in a Row

Willie Mullins has dominated the Scottish Grand National in recent years. Macdermott won it in 2024. Captain Cody followed suit in 2025 . Now the master of Closutton sends just one horse to Ayr—Road To Home—as he bids to become the first trainer since the great Vincent O'Brien to win three consecutive Scottish Grand Nationals .

The Mullins team has raised eyebrows by entering only a single runner. In previous years, the Irish champion has fired multiple darts at the target. This time, it's all or nothing .

A Special Jockey in the Saddle

Road To Home will be ridden by Patrick Mullins, the trainer's son . The younger Mullins endured a nightmare at Aintree last weekend, being unseated from Grangeclare West at the very first fence of the Grand National . He gets an immediate shot at redemption on Saturday. Patrick knows Road To Home well—the pair finished a desperately close second, beaten just a neck, in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival last month .

The Home Favourite: King Of Answers

Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore's King Of Answers is the current market leader for the Scottish Grand National 2026 . Russell knows what it takes to win this race—she captured the prize five years ago with Mighty Thunder . King Of Answers was an eyecatching runner-up at the Cheltenham Festival and arrives at Ayr with the weight of home expectation on his shoulders .

Wales Has a Runner

Ask Brewster, trained by Cath Williams, carries Welsh hopes into the race . The eight-year-old won the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last month, beating Road To Home into second place . He will be ridden by Shane Cotter, who claims 7lb . The Williams yard has been in the headlines for off-track reasons—Cath recently took over the licence from her husband Evan Williams after he was sentenced to three years in prison —but on the track, Ask Brewster is a legitimate contender.

The Irish Raiders

Joseph O'Brien sends Kim Roque to Ayr, and the six-year-old has been heavily backed in recent days . Co-owned by Ronnie Bartlett, Kim Roque carries just 10st 13lb—over a stone less than top weight Blaze The Way . The O'Brien yard is in brilliant form, and Kim Roque is the current favourite with most bookmakers .

At Sportsphere24 Updates, we believe this is one of the most open renewals in years. The market is tight, the weights are competitive, and the prize money is life-changing.

Scottish Grand National 2026 Confirmed Runners and Riders

The final field of 21 runners was confirmed on Thursday morning . Here is every horse set to go to post at Ayr, with jockey and trainer details.

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey
1	Blaze The Way	Mags Mullins	Danny Mullins
2	Quebecois	Paul Nicholls	Harry Cobden
3	King Of Answers	Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	Derek Fox
4	Isaac Des Obeaux	Paul Nicholls	Sam Twiston-Davies
5	Our Power	Sam Thomas	Danny Gilligan
6	Road To Home	Willie Mullins	Patrick Mullins
7	Herakles Westwood	Warren Greatrex	James Bowen
8	Ask Brewster	Cath Williams	Shane Cotter (7)
9	Katate Dori	Sam Thomas	Dylan Johnston
10	Stolen Silver	Georgina Nicholls	Olive Nicholls (5)
11	Famous Bridge	Nicky Richards	Sean Quinlan
12	Montregard	Tom Lacey	Stan Sheppard
13	Maximilian	Donald McCain	William Maggs (3)
14	Gabbys Cross	Nick Scholfield	Sean Bowen
15	Collectors Item	J & A O'Neil	Jonjo O'Neill Jr
16	Kim Roque	Joseph O'Brien	JJ Slevin
17	Git Maker	Jamie Snowden	Jonathan Burke
18	Kap Vert	Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	Sean Houlihan
19	Promontory	Sarah Connell	Donagh Meyler
20	Chasingouttheblues	Mark Walford	Jamie Hamilton
21	Magna Sam	Alastair Ralph	Ciaran Gethings

Note: Some sources list 25 confirmed runners, but the final declared field for Saturday is 21 following withdrawals .

Scottish Grand National 2026 Odds and Market Movers

The betting market for the Scottish Grand National 2026 has seen significant movement in recent days. Here are the latest odds from Coral :

Horse	Odds
Kim Roque	9-2 favourite
King Of Answers	6-1
Quebecois	7-1
Road To Home	7-1
Ask Brewster	10-1
Isaac Des Obeaux	10-1
Montregard	10-1
Chasingouttheblues	12-1
Katate Dori	14-1
Git Maker	14-1
Blaze The Way	16-1
20-1 bar	—

Kim Roque has been the subject of sustained support ever since Joseph O'Brien confirmed this race as the target . The six-year-old finished fourth in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham but will be better off at the weights with both Road To Home and Ask Brewster on Saturday .

At Sportsphere24 Updates, we note that King Of Answers has also attracted significant money. Lucinda Russell's horses always command respect at Ayr, and Derek Fox—who rode Corach Rambler to Grand National glory in 2023—is a booking that inspires confidence .

Race Day Schedule: How to Watch the Scottish Grand National 2026

The Scottish Grand National 2026 is the feature race on a seven-race card at Ayr Racecourse.

Full Race Schedule (Saturday, April 18)

Time	Race
1:10 PM	First Race
1:45 PM	Second Race
2:20 PM	Third Race
2:55 PM	Fourth Race
3:35 PM	SCOTTISH GRAND NATIONAL
4:10 PM	Sixth Race
4:45 PM	Final Race

How to Watch

Television: Live coverage on STV and ITV1 from 1:00 PM BST
Live Stream: STV Player and ITVX
Radio: talkSPORT will provide updates throughout the afternoon

The festival actually begins on Friday, April 17—Ladies Day—with gates opening at 11:45 AM and the first race at 1:45 PM . Saturday's racing is completely sold out, so anyone without a ticket will need to watch from home .

The Course: Four Miles, 27 Fences, One Winner

The Scottish Grand National 2026 is run over a course just shy of four miles, with 27 fences to be negotiated . It has the reputation of being one of the toughest tests for horses and jockeys in UK racing—second only to the Aintree Grand National in difficulty.

The race is open to horses aged five years and older . The handicapper has done his best to level the playing field, with top weight Blaze The Way carrying 11st 12lb .

Fascinating Fact: The only horse to have won both the Scottish Grand National and the Aintree Grand National in the same year was the legendary Red Rum . That remarkable double has never been repeated.

Scottish Grand National 2026 Prize Money

The Scottish Grand National 2026 offers a total prize fund of £200,000 . The breakdown is as follows:

Position	Prize Money
Winner	£112,540
Runner-up	—
Third	—
Fourth	—

Note: Full place prize money details are typically released on race day.

Key Contenders: Who to Watch

Kim Roque (Joseph O'Brien / JJ Slevin)

The market leader for good reason. Kim Roque has been aimed at this race for months and gets significant weight from his main rivals . Joseph O'Brien is in brilliant form, and JJ Slevin is a capable pilot. The only concern is whether the six-year-old has the experience for a four-mile slog—this will be his longest race to date.

Sportsphere24 Updates verdict: The one to beat.

King Of Answers (Lucinda Russell / Derek Fox)

The home favourite. Russell has won this race before, and Fox is a Grand National-winning jockey . King Of Answers was an impressive runner-up at Cheltenham and arrives at Ayr fresh and well-prepared. The weight of Scottish expectation is heavy, but this horse has the class to carry it.

Sportsphere24 Updates verdict: Massive chance. The value may be with him rather than the favourite.

Road To Home (Willie Mullins / Patrick Mullins)

Mullins goes for three in a row, and he's entrusted his son with the ride . Road To Home was unlucky not to win the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, beaten just a neck by Ask Brewster . He gets 2lb from that rival on Saturday and has the champion trainer in his corner. Patrick will be desperate to make amends for his Aintree disaster.

Sportsphere24 Updates verdict: Dangerously well-handicapped. The one they all fear.

Ask Brewster (Cath Williams / Shane Cotter)

The Kim Muir winner beat Road To Home at Cheltenham and comes here off the back of that career-best performance . He carries Welsh hopes and has a 7lb claimer in the saddle. The Williams yard has endured a difficult period, but on the track, this horse is thriving.

Sportsphere24 Updates verdict: Each-way appeal. The course and distance will suit.

Quebecois (Paul Nicholls / Harry Cobden)

Paul Nicholls is a master trainer, and he runs two in the race—Quebecois and Isaac Des Obeaux . Quebecois was a runner-up at Cheltenham and has the services of Harry Cobden, one of the best jockeys in the weighing room. The Nicholls team has been quiet by their standards this season, but they know how to win big handicaps.

Sportsphere24 Updates verdict: Could outrun his odds. Nicholls is never to be underestimated at Ayr.

Betting Insights and Predictions

For those who follow Sportsphere24 Updates for betting insights, here is what the formbook tells us about the Scottish Grand National 2026.

Favourite: Kim Roque (9-2) has been heavily supported and is the rightful market leader. But favourites have a poor record in this race—only two market leaders have won in the last decade.

Value Pick: King Of Answers (6-1) represents excellent value. Russell's horses improve for a run, and Derek Fox is a big-race specialist.

Each-Way Selection: Ask Brewster (10-1) won't be far away. The Kim Muir form is the strongest in the race, and he's proven over the distance.

Dark Horse: Montregard (10-1) is owned by JP McManus, who is chasing a double after I Am Maximus's Grand National victory . Tom Lacey's horses have been running well, and Stan Sheppard is a capable rider.

Sportsphere24 Updates prediction: King Of Answers to win, with Kim Roque second and Road To Home third. The home favourite delivers for the Scottish crowd.

Conclusion: A Scottish Showdown Awaits

The Scottish Grand National 2026 promises to be a cracker. A tight market. A quality field. A champion trainer chasing history. A home favourite carrying Scottish hopes. And four miles of gruelling, unforgiving jumping.

Willie Mullins goes for three in a row with Road To Home. Patrick Mullins seeks redemption after his Aintree nightmare. Kim Roque carries the weight of money and expectation. King Of Answers bids to give Lucinda Russell a second Scottish National crown.

Every fence matters. Every stride counts. Only one horse will enter the history books.

The first race is at 1:10 PM. The big one is at 3:35 PM. Be there—or watch every second on STV and ITV1.

Thank you for reading Sportsphere24 Updates, your home for daily horse racing stories, analysis, and predictions. We will be back with complete coverage of the Scottish Grand National result and every major jumps race throughout the season.

Until then, keep your eyes on the jumps.