Tizzard bidding to upset the Mullins bandwagon in Scottish National

Joe Tizzard is optimistic Rock My Way can shake up the Willie Mullins invaders when he leads the British defence in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.

The seven-year-old only joined the Dorset operation in January but has finished second in both starts for his new team and after a brave run in defeat in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, he is ready for another bite of the cherry over a marathon trip.

“He looks a million dollars, it was a beautiful run in the National Hunt Chase and I think he’ll enjoy this decent ground,” said Tizzard.

“He only joined me early in the new year and has physically got better and better since being with us.

“We’re obviously going into the unknown a little bit up to four miles, but he kept on galloping nicely at Cheltenham and I think it will be fine.

“It’s a competitive race, but he’s definitely got a squeak in it. I’ve never been afraid of competition and we knew after last weekend Willie was going to turn up in numbers. But it’s the right race for Rock My Way and he has a nice racing weight and we’re ready to take our chance.”

Also set to play a part in that Cheltenham event – won by Rebecca Curtis’ Irish National-bound Haiti Couleurs – was Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Hasthing, who was staying on stoutly before coming to grief at the final fence.

“We were happy with the way he was running at Cheltenham before he fell and the good news is he seems to have come out of that race well. It was just unfortunate as he was running a great race,” said AJ O’Neill.

“We’ve put a pair of cheekpieces on which might help him with his focus over a few obstacles. The ground might be drying out a little bit, but we’re seeing him over an extended trip again which I think suits and we’re looking forward to seeing him back out on the track.”

Dan Skelton puts his faith in Sail Away (Harry Skelton) and Snipe (Harry Atkins) hoping to keep his trainers’ title dreams alive, while rookie trainer Faye Bramley will saddle her first ever runner over fences when represented by former Nicky Henderson inmate Walking On Air.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Grimthorpe runner-up The Kniphand and Ben Pauling’s Mandarin winner Henry’s Friend are others with smart staying chase form, while Surrey Quest arrives 6lb higher than when narrowly touched off by Macdermott in this race 12 months ago.

This has been the main objective for Toby Lawes’ eight-year-old since a run at Aintree in the Grand National became unlikely.

“We’ll be running in cheekpieces for the first time this season and we think that will sharpen him up. We didn’t want them on too early and he’s been training well in them,” said Surrey Racing’s Clive Hadingham.

“We think he’s in a better place than he was last year. Maybe Willie Mullins and his juggernaut might prove a problem, but we beat five of them last year and only narrowly missed out on beating the sixth.

“Macdermott is in there again, but he hasn’t had the best year and I think looking at this year’s form, the race probably took more out of him than it did Surrey Quest and I think we have every right to head there confident of a big run.”