AYR 15:35

All 23 ran. Fences: 25.

Time: 8m 21.2s Closing Sectional: (2.3f): 35.4s (102.4%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 137%, Betfair SP 98.7%

The second fence in the straight was omitted on the last 2 circuits.

Just a week after a Grand National that had seen almost half complete - a handful fewer than in 2024 it might be added - barely a third got to the finish in a Scottish version that was chaotic from early on, though there was something far more routine about its conclusion as one Mullins-trained stayer surged past a stablemate to provide a 1-2 in a major handicap that would be heralded as out-of-the-ordinary stuff were it not for the fact that the trainer has redefined accepted norms, highlighted most recently by his 1-2-3-5 in Aintree's showpiece that had seen the gap to Skelton in the title race cut significantly before this pushed the holder all but past, the pair trained by his big rival having been wiped out well before halfway, one of those 2 incidents then leading to the omission of the second fence in the straight on the last 2 circuits; the gallop was brisk and many - at the end of long seasons in some cases to boot - just found themselves out of rhythm from some way out.

CAPTAIN CODY (IRE) got the better of the in-house battle with his band of stablemates, which as in the Grand National the previous weekend and in many big races before it converted into landing a notable prize, a success that almost pushed his trainer beyond Skelton atop the British standings with still plenty of prize money to play for even with the end of the season on the horizon; he arrived with only 3 completed chase starts to his name, but that lack of experience was outweighed as it turned out by his scope for improvement and he proved too well treated for a largely exposed field to become the twelfth novice to win this since 1990 (3 others also came via defeat in National Hunt Chase) and the fourth in the last 7 years, making light of a blunder at the fifth as he continued to travel strongly held up around the outer and still not asked for his effort as he closed into second approaching the last, briefly finding himself a few lengths down again as he steadied into it only to quicken in remarkable fashion at the end of almost 4m to lead close home, his masterful rider not even resorting to the whip.

KLARC KENT (FR) is now 0-12 over fences but that record clearly does him a disservice considering he's now reached the frame in back-to-back Scottish Nationals, 2 lb out of the handicap this time yet 8 lb lower in the weights than first time around and only just denied by a first-season chaser from the same stable who'll likely be holding his own beyond handicaps next season; despite the agonising reverse, he clearly saw things out better than he had when a 50/1-fourth in 2024, in the firing line early, moving back to the front from the twenty-first and, having kicked on 2 out, briefly looking to have got a big enough advantage over Captain Cody when quicker away from the last only to be claimed close home, putting a further 8 lengths between himself and Our Power on the run-in as he kept galloping resolutely.

OUR POWER (IRE) is proving as reliable as ever, giving his all again as he maintained his record of having finished second or third on every start this season, clearly coping with the test far better than the vast majority but not seeing things out thoroughly trying this sort of trip for the first time since the 2023 Grand National, close up still 2 out and only 3 lengths behind the runner-up crossing the last before he began to crack.

GROZNI (FR) has been another success story for his trainer even if he has only one win to show for his time with him, adding a Scottish National fourth to his second successive sixth in the Kim Muir; he failed to settle fully in touch and, though yet to be asked for maximum effort in a close third 2 out, his effort soon began to flatten out as stamina seemed to ebb away.

ROCK MY WAY (IRE) shaped as if still in good form, the longer trip probably proving beyond him for all an error as things were taking shape had almost certainly taken something out of him; settled mid-field out wide, went handy usual 5 out, not fluent and lost momentum next, back into it when shaken up between last 2, held soon after.

FLASH DE TOUZAINE (FR) couldn't repeat his exploits from his previous crack at this (third in 2023) but would have gone closer to doing so under different circumstances, as it was paying for a big move into things from the back as the pace was lifting; in rear, slow twelfth, rapid headway out wide from end of back straight having taken 5 out no better than tenth 8 lengths down, within a couple of lengths next before weakening on extended run to second last.

OLYMPIC MAN (FR) shaped like a non-stayer above all for all he'd made a couple of blunders (something of a trademark so far over fences) on the final circuit; close up, not settle fully, led fourth, mistakes eighteenth, twentieth, headed quickly, weakened approaching 2 out.

HENRY'S FRIEND (IRE) filled the same position but was beaten nearly twice as far as in the Kim Muir, probably not on his game a month on rather than undone solely by the marathon trip; ridden more patiently, went in snatches, struggling before straight.

SNIPE (IRE) can have a line put through this non-completion, still waited with when falling at the seventh having been badly hampered.

THE KNIPHAND (FR) was fatally injured; handy, jumped on twentieth, headed soon after next, ridden usual 4 out, weakening when fell heavily 2 out.

SURREY QUEST (IRE) lasted a mere fraction of the time he had when edged out by MacDermott in this in 2024 (when going without cheekpieces retried here), crumpling on landing at the first.

SAIL AWAY (FR) was hampered and unseated at the first.

HASTHING (FR) was still waited with in first-time cheekpieces when having nowhere to go and brought down at the seventh.

SPANISH HARLEM (FR) was among the Mullins-trained trio at single-figure odds but didn't get the chance to show what he could do with cheekpieces added after 7 weeks off, still in touch out wide when carried out at the fifteenth.

BRANDT (IRE) struggled with a rise in the weights (also 4 lb out of handicap) and grade; steadied at the start, shaken up from fourteenth, headway under pressure briefly home turn, effort proved short-lived.

MAGNA SAM has had his best days elsewhere in Scotland but still might have been expected to do better even from 2 lb out of the weights considering he'd shaped well for a long way in this on the back of his previous Edinburgh National success in 2023; waited with, blundered nineteenth, struggling from next.

DOM OF MARY (FR) turned in a rather lacklustre display, a hard race at Cheltenham possibly leaving its mark; in rear, hampered seventh, struggled with pace, ridden still 5 out, made no impression.

WALKING ON AIR (IRE) saw his first run under the name of Faye Bramley (from Gary Brown) end prematurely; disputed lead until fourth, close up when seemingly went lame and pulled up quickly fifteenth.

WISEGUY (IRE) is better than this, his rider having adopted similar tactics to those on Hyland at Aintree the weekend prior; off pace out wide, blundered twentieth, eased before straight.

CHOSEN WITNESS (IRE) didn't get home at all, with the extreme distance and the effects of a stopping mistake following 2 months off combining to do for his chance; mid-field, travelled better than most, smooth headway approaching straight, yet to be asked for effort when blundered usual 4 out, weakened quickly; it was over 3m that he'd won over hurdles at the fixture in 2024, and he remains with potential as a chaser with a view to returning to shorter.

FAMOUS BRIDGE (IRE) has had no problem ploughing through the Haydock mud to win over extreme distances but this even longer trip possibly found him out, having had to work to get back into the picture in the straight after losing his place as the pace began to lift around the twentieth.

MACDERMOTT (FR) met with the saddest end in his bid to defend his crown; settled mid-field out wide, awkward second, pulled up quickly early final circuit (collapsed and died soon after).

MR INCREDIBLE (IRE) allowed, inconsistently, to take his chance in this having been barred from doing so in the Grand National spotlight, set off despite some early reluctance to find stride but had started to lose interest by the end of the first circuit before clocking out for good and pulled up at the twelfth.