GORDON RICHARDS could be three-handed in his bid for a third Stakis Casinos Scottish Grand National triumph at Ayr on Saturday.
The Greystoke trainer yesterday confirmed Addington Boy, Tartan Tradewinds and Tartan Tyrant for the four-mile-one-furlong contest, which he won with Playlord in 1969 and Four Trix in 1990.
But his wife, Joanie, warned that only Tartan Tradewinds is a certain runner in the £65,000 event for which 26 horses were declared yesterday.
Mumm Mildmay Novices' chase winner Addington Boy has an alternative engagement at Ayr. He is also entered in the Edinburgh Woollen Mills Novices' Chase and we don't know which he will run in yet," Mrs Richards said.
Mrs Richards is desperately hoping for rain for Tartan Tyrant, who has been pulled out of the Martell Grand National and its Irish equivalent this spring due to unsuitably firm going.
"He needs it soft and whether he runs depends on the weather," she said. "He has been in training since September and only once got conditions that suit him, when he was second in the Greenalls Grand National Trial."
Tartan Tyrant is the only one of the trio currently in the handicap at Ayr as Gold Cup third Couldnt Be Better was a surprise acceptor under top-weight of 11st 10lb yesterday.
The Charlie Brooks-trained nine-year-old was pulled up after a circuit in the Martell Cup at Aintree last month. "The ground was too fast for him at Aintree and that was the major problem - Graharn Bradley thought it was silly to go on when he wasn't handling it," a stable spokeswoman said.
"He is in good form now but whether he runs is a question of the weather - we are praying for rain."
Firmish ground does not worry Mary Reveley who was delighted with Morgans Harbour's recent second at Aintree after a four-month lay-off.
"He jinked his fetlock and had a few weeks off but it is all right now and he is very well after Liverpool," the trainer said.
"He is a possible runner at this stage. You have got to question whether he would stay four miles but he has always stayed three miles very well."
Last year's winner Willsford was the only Jenny Pitman trained acceptor. The 13-year-old has been well beaten in his two completed starts but a stable spokesman said: "He had a lot to do and a lot of weight to carry each time."
Killeshin will miss Saturday's big race because owner/trainer John Manners failed to declare the Eider Chase winner at the five-day acceptance stage and was unable to get him reinstated.
