Junior team play National waiting game

Connections of Junior will monitor the horse’s condition as well as the weather before deciding whether to commit their charge to the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.

The David Pipe-trained nine-year-old has a slightly swollen joint following his fall at the second fence in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree last weekend. Another concern is the likely soft ground in Ayrshire as Junior would have to carry top weight of 11st 12lb in the stamina-sapping test over an extended four miles.

“He’s fine, he’s happy. He did rap a joint which is a tiny bit swollen and we have to monitor that during the week as to whether he runs in the Scottish National,” said Tim Palin, racing manager to owners Middleham Park Racing. “It also depends on what the ground is. He’s got top weight and it’s possible he might wait a week for the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. We’ll have to see if his joint settles down.”

Palin was delighted Junior returned safe and sound after being caught immediately after his fall by jockey Tom Scudamore. “Tom caught him straightaway and they walked back together,” he went on. “We were worried because we didn’t see the horse run back but it was because Tom had caught him, so it took them a while to get back.”

Irish trainer Maurice Phelan has no such worries about Portrait King, who returns to these shores attempting to supplement his triumph in the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February. “He’s had a good break since the Eider and he’s ready to go again,” said Phelan. “He won’t give up and he toughs it out. He showed in the Eider that he stays and stays. He was always going to be a four-mile horse and jumping is his game. He should be thereabouts with luck in running over those 27 fences. It looks like being soft, which should be perfect ground for him.”

Race sponsors Coral report continued support for the Andrew Parker-trained Merigo, who took the prize in 2010 and was second 12 months ago. The 11-year-old is now the clear second favourite at 7-1, from 9-1.

Harry The Viking, co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, remains the 6-1 market leader while Portrait King has been cut a point to 8s. “Merigo has been the best backed horse this week, which is perhaps not surprising given his record in the race, and at this rate he could well replace Harry The Viking at the head of the betting,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

At Newmarket today, Brian Meehan has made no secret of the regard in which he holds Most Improved and the colt can get his three-year-old career off to a winning start in the Craven Stakes.

A modicum of confidence in Mickdaam should not be misplaced as he tackles the £250,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy. A York maiden winner for Richard Fahey last year, Mickdaam was then transferred to the care of Mike de Kock for a Dubai campaign that marked him out as a decent prospect.

Twice Over rarely runs a bad race at Newmarket and he can make a dream start to his sixth year of racing in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes, while New Planet has hit the ground running this season and can take the opportunity to gain a valuable Listed verdict in the Abernant Stakes.