Sine Nomine camp considering crack at Scottish National

Sine Nomine could possibly take her chance in the Scottish Grand National after meeting with bad fortune in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham.

The nine-year-old won the St. James’s Place Hunters’ Chase at the 2024 Festival but she has been out of luck this season, failing to complete on each of her three outings.

She unseated in a Listed mares’ chase at Market Rasen on her seasonal reappearance after a 257-day break following that Festival success, before falling two out when staying on in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Again fate dealt her a cruel blow at Cheltenham, where she was kicked at the start and subsequently slowly away, prior to being hampered late on and pulled up after jumping two out.

Undeterred, trainer Fiona Needham is considering a crack at Scottish National glory for her star mare.

Sine Nomine holds an entry at Stratford on Saturday but her participation there is very much dependent on the weather.

Reflecting on Cheltenham, Needham said: “She was unfortunately kicked at the start and then with the standing start, she missed the break, so it was maybe a day to forget.

“But she’s come back and she is fine. He pulled her up just before the last but she’s fine. It didn’t take a lot out of her.

“I’ve entered her (at Stratford) but it’ll depend on the ground. It will depend on what happens.

“I know they had a bit of rain over the weekend and there isn’t a lot of rain forecast, but there might be a bit towards the end of the week. I wouldn’t want it to be any quicker than what it is now, let’s put it that way.

“(Further plans) are going to depend on the weather and be ground related. We’ll put an entry in for the Scottish National but we’ll wait and see, we’re keeping our options open.”