Well the final 'Grand National' of the season is upon us as the Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr gets under way.
The fields on the opening day were not the biggest, all with single figure numbers.
Scotland's biggest jump meeting of the season also saw the unveiling of a £4.5m refurbishment of the Grandstand bars. Certainly an improvement on what was previously available.
2:20 Tam O'Shanter Poppyscotland Novices Hurdle.
Well a nice little 3 mile ½ furlong hurdle to get the meeting under way.
The betting said it was just a two horse race and so it proved with the favourite Asian Royale getting the better of the uneasy second favourite Big Fella Thanks.
Jumping the last these two were in unison, having tracked the front running Tank Top most of the way.
Big Fella Thanks lives up to his name and is a massive gelding, who will undoubtedly make a chaser in due course.
The winning trainer, Charles Byrnes, was understandably delighted with the win, saying “He has done it well and he really stays three miles - we had been running over the wrong trip on his last two runs in Ireland. I think he will make a smashing chaser and he will go straight over fences next season.”
2:50 MACB Novices Handicap Chase
A muddling sort of race, which was overshadowed by Maura's Legacy taking a terrible fall at the last fence on the first circuit.
Once the leader fell the grey Something Silver was left a seemingly reluctant leader.
Turning into the home straight Reap The Reward took the lead and was never challenged. Mr Multifix took the runners up spot with Just For Men taking third.
It was a Lazarus style victory for the winner who broke down so badly at Perth two years ago that he was nearly put down.
3:25 Artemis Investment Management Supporting Poppyscotland Handicap Hurdle
Is it me or are race names getting longer - if we aren't careful one day a race will be over before the commentator has the chance to announce the race name.
A good race if you are a bookmaker as the even money favourite Herecomesthetruth only manages to take third place after flattering to deceive three out. Quws Law who the favourite briefly headed three out seemed to take exception to being headed and battled back to win easily. To add to the favourites humiliation he was beaten into second by 40/1 shot Rathowen.
The winner has suffered from breathing problems and was in a first time tongue tie today. He is to have a wind operation next week.
4:00 Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase
Some sages say if the horse who won the corresponding race last year returns again then back it.
Well the theory worked in this race as last years winner Three Mirrors took the race again this year at a tasty 6/1.
Content to follow most of his rivals he waited until two out before challenging the leader Dear Villez, who finished second, disappointing favourite backers.
Endless Power who had led for most of the race before ceding the lead to Dear Villez finished third.
4:35 Coral Supporting Poppyscotland Mares Only Handicap Hurdle
Another long race name, ironically for the shortest race of the day, the two mile hurdle.
Well not only was it the shortest race it produced the most exciting finish so far.
Doubly Guest had taken them along at a fair pace for most of the race, until the grey Bollin Ruth took up the running three from home.
She looked the winner with Doubly Guest and Theatre Belle fighting it out for minor honours.
Then from absolutely nowhere the top weight La Vecchia Scuola sprouted wings, emerged from the following pack to take the race in the final strides.
Jockey Ritchie McGrath followed trainer Jim Goldie’s instructions to the letter, having been told not to take the lead too soon.
I was minded of a television program I used to watch as a child, called The Magic Boomerang where he threw the boomerang and everyone else stood still - such was the winners devastating run.
5:10 Charles and Sarah Anderson Claiming Chase
It is a cliché that no two races are the same and after the close finish in the last the runners in this race were strung out like the washing.
Auntie Kathleen gave jockey Ritchie McGrath a quick fire double in a race the mare would only have lost had she fallen.
The long time leader Cash Bonanza faded coming out of the back straight and the only other possible winner, the favourite Kerry Lads was beaten four out, his chances ended by doing a Kauto at the 15th.
5:45 West Sound Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
Well the professional jockeys' get a chance to beat the traffic as the finale of the opening day is for the conditionals.
Sod's Law says that after a rout we would have another close finish and so it came to pass.
This was another of these muddling races when it was difficult to predict the winner right until the line.
Early pace setters Vicario and Tell Henry both finished well back. Although to call them true front runners is possibly stretching a point as the field were well bunched for most of the contest.
It was two of those happy to track the field who eventually contested the finish. With the Paul Nicholls trained contender living up to his name by being Just Amazing and coming through from last to beat Alan King's Your Amount on the line.