18:00 That's it from a lovely sunny afternoon here at Ayr - I still have two hours to my flight but I don't think I will be walking back this time.

Our next live coverage will be from Kempton's jump fixture on Monday evening - until then good evening.

17:52 Time now to catch up with some quotes from the afternoon.

Seamus Murphy owner of the National winner Hello Bud said, "I am King of Scotland this year, and next year I will be King of England!" A reference to an attempt at next years Aintree National.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies explained, "We will aim at the Becher Chase at Aintree in the autumn and then we will have to go for the National, and maybe we will have a third win in that.

"It's a great effort and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits."

AP McCoy, rider of the runner-up Gone To Lunch commented, "He ran on well but I never really thought he would get there.

"I am pleased with the way he stayed on at the end of the four miles after what had happened at Cheltenham last time."

Deep Purple, who won the novices' chase will now have a rest until the autumn when trainer Evan Williams said his target will possibly be Wetherby's Charlie Hall.

17:49 Well if the afternoon began with something of a surprise result then it ended with an absolute shocker as 50/1 shot Carters Rest took the bumper, beating Master Beau (a 16/1 shot) by a length.

Sir Frank was a more reasonably priced (11/2) third.

The favourite Gilbarry ran very freely in the early stages and had nothing left come the business end.

17:21 It has been a long afternoon and race seven was our final contest over obstacles.

The record books will show Auroas Encore came home the 13 length winner under Tjade Collier, however that does not tell the full story.

Coming to the last Auroras Encore was contesting the lead with Fresh And Fun who had led for most of the contest. However Auroras Encore put in a perfect leap whilst Fresh And Fun landed on all fours and lost all momentum, handing the race to Auroras Encore.

Having said that the winner was running on well in the run-in and there must be some doubt as to whether Fresh And Fun would have had sufficient finishing speed.

16:49 After a few contests working out in the bookmakers favour our sixth contest bought some relief to backers as Pepsyrock took the 2m handicap chase with a well judged ride from Barry Geraghty, although he had to hold off a late challenge from Graham Lee on Beggars Cap.

Lord Henry set the pace but once the race began in earnest in the home straight he was attacked on all sides and eventually only beat one home.

16:26 Well if you want to introduce a newcomer to racing you could do a lot worse than show them our fifth race, a 2m 5f hurdle this afternoon.

I was standing next to course commentator Simon Holt (it is his birthday today by the way – halfway between two significant ones) and after the race we both gave each other a look of utter incredulity.

AP McCoy had sent The Polomoche off in front and it looked as though it was going to be an all the way victory.

Then, in the home straight, it was Groundhog Day as Brian Hughes on Halla San tried to do what McCoy did in the big race. Coming from nowhere he came with a blistering run and, unlike in the big race, it looked as though the tactic worked as Hall San was in front.

However McCoy does not know the meaning of the word defeat and he somehow managed to get one final effort out of The Polomoche to regain the lead and come home by half a length.

Once again McCoy showing why he is the greatest NH rider we have ever seen.

Working Title came home third.    

15:55 Unbelievably for a  4m 110yard contest we witnessed an all the way front running performance with Hello Bud, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by Paddy Brennan.

A big roar from the crowd as they set off and an even bigger roar as they were half way down the back straight for the first time. The reason, a streaker running down the straight in front of a crowd – sadly from my perspective it was a male streaker although looking at his man boobs confusion could have been excusable. Indeed seeing what else was on show he is clearly a chap who drives a large, flash, car – obviously a BMW driver!!!

It was an unusual race in there was little change to the running order up front for most of the contest, with King Barry and Out The Black with or tracking the leader throughout.

By contrast, neither of the joint favourites Chief Dan George or Nine De Sivola, were in contention at any stage.

By the home straight Out The Black and Chiaro looked to be the main dangers to the long time leader but lurking a little further back was the champion jockey, AP McCoy, on Gone To Lunch and he came with a blistering late run gaining on the long time leader with every stride.

Fortunately for Brennan the line came just in time and he come home a diminishing half length leader – on this occasion AP just slightly mis-judged the pace.

15:12 It is the big one next, unfortunately no paddock report on this one - it is so crowded here it is not possible to get to the parade ring then back to my vantage point on top of the stand to watch the race.

15:10 A eventful Scottish Champion Hurdle, sponsored by Samsung Electronics.

Issaquah unshipped Jack Halliday on the way to the start and then proceeded to play a game of catch with numerous officials, getting bored after five minutes then stopping to have a nibble of grass before allowing herself to be caught – no surprise she was withdrawn.

The race was run at a decent pace and it was a strange race tactically. Certainly Harper Valley was determined to try and make it a front running performance although it was all change as they turned for home and several potential challengers emerged. The most convincing of which was Noble Alan from Nicky Richards yard, produced with a late run down the centre by Davey Condon, to record a two length win over Secret Tune who looked to be all the winner at the last.

The front running Harper Valley just held on for third, thwarting the late challenge of the top weight Blue Bajan, who was arguably finishing best of all.

14:39 Another non-runner in the big one Tricky Trickster does not go.

14:38 Isn’t hindsight wonderful?

There were those who, before our second contest a 2m 4f chase, who opined that

I’msingingtheblues would be a decent lay bet as it was highly questionable the Paul Nicholls gelding would get the extra half mile.

Well they were right, he looked absolutely shattered in the run-in, although full credit must be given to trainer Evan Williams and jockey Paul Moloney on Deep Purple, who set off at a good pace to expose any stamina limitations the favourite may have had.

In the end it turned out to be a bold front running performance by Deep Purple and he came home a nine length winner with I’msingingtheblues unable to close on the winner.   

The decent pace did not suit any of his rivals and it was only the favourite who looked to be mounting any sort of challenge. Certainly until two out the favourite still had the leader in touching distance  but as they went further into unknown territory distance wise the writing was soon on the wall.

Listening to the cheers that greeted the winner he was clearly not unbacked here on course.

So two favourites now sunk, although I think the second winner was perhaps a little more painful for the layers.

13:58 Well last years Scottish National provided a shock 66/1 result and it looks as though this years meeting could follow in the same light as the outsider Apartman ran out the easy winner of the 2m Novices’ Hurdle.

In a race where Giorgio Quercus and Marc Aurele were sent off the 7/4 joint favourites, neither ever looked like winning the race, although Marc Aurele was the early leader he was in reverse as they turned for home.

Giorgio Quercus never looked happy with some patchy jumping .

Saticon was second for most of the contest and never looked like making a challenge.

The winner was settled last throughout before his rider Jan Faitejsek asked for effort as they turned for home and he slipped the field, making his rivals look very ordinary.

He eventually came home 15 lengths clear of Giorgio Quercus on whom Barry Geraghty was throwing the kitchen sink just to get him home in a battle with Saticon.

13:34 Only four in our opener and whilst the betting is close with three of them, only Apartman is unsupported, vying for favouritism.

It is understandable as nothing really stands out – all three look in need of a good meal and look more like sprinters than jumpers.

13:18 A lovely blue sky here and a lovely spring afternoon, there is a modest breeze behind the runners in the home straight. It will be interesting to see if the ground does dry out as the afternoon progresses.

13:13 A good crowd building up here with just half an hour to our opener.

Two more non-runners, again details on the right.

11:52 I have just walked the final furlong of the track - after the walk from the airport I could not walk much further. Although the going is officially good there are a couple of what can best be called "squidgy" patches which show a bit more cut.

Not surprisingly the ground towards the far rail is quite well cut up after yesterdays racing.

11:42 Not great betting moves to report in the National. Sponsors Coral report some support for the Pricewise selection That's Rhythm.

11:20 Good morning from a sunny Ayr where the going is good following overnight watering.

The biggest tip of the day is don't walk from Prestwick Airport to Ayr Racecourse carrying a computer bag on a sunny day - it is a long way - especially when you take a wrong turning.

We have eight non-runners, including two in the big one.

Our selections are as follows (sorry could not resist two shots at the National):-

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

3:25
2 Tricky Trickster (going)
10 Merigo (going)
11 According To John (going)
20 Native Coral (Temperature - VC)

4:00
7 Echo Point (withdrawn)
12 Lean An Scail (Lame - SC)
13 The Shy Man (Lame - SC)
14 Description (Going)

16:35
4 Medicinal (Sore - VC)

17:05
4 Silver By Nature (Lame VC)
8 Fiftyfive Degrees (Going)

5:35
4 Storm Brig (not eaten up)

Results

1:45 Novices' Hurdle 2m

1st 3 Apartman 22/1
2nd 1 Giorgio Quercus 7/4 jf
4 Ran
Distances 15l
Fav second & No 4 (last)
Tote
Win £13.60
Exacta £90.00
CSF £58.79
Time 3' 39.7" (fast 0.3")

2:20 Novices' Chase 2m 4f

1st 1 Deep Purple 15/8 fav
2nd 2 I'msingingtheblues 6/4 fav
5 Ran
Distances 9l
Fav second
Tote
Win £2.70
Places £1.20 £1.60
Exacta £5.10
CSF £5.20
Time 4' 54.91" (slow 6.9")

2:50 Handicap Hurdle 2m

1st 7 Noble Alan 17/2
2nd 13 Secret Tune 16/1
3rd 6 Harper Valley 16/1
14 Ran W/D 12
Distances 2 & neck
Fav 4 Medermit 4/1 (Upl)
Tote
Win £11.80
Places £3.90 £5.50 £6.10
Exacta £233.00
CSF £132.73
Tricast £2,152.71
Time 3' 36.5" (fast 4.5")
Result Stands
No Rule 4

3:25 Scottish Grand National 4m 110yds

1st 14 Hello Bud 12/1
2nd 3 Gone To Lunch 12/1
3rd 13 Out The Black 12/1
4th 16 Chiaro 10/1
17 Ran Nr's 2, 10, 11 & 20
Distances 1/2, 6 & 1 1/4
Fav No's 5 & 7 11/2
Tote
Win £11.60
Places £2.50 £2.60 £3.70 £3.40
Exacta £180.60
CSF £142.43
Tricast £1,793.19
Time 8' 14.6"

4:00 Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f 110yds

1st 1 The Polomoche 15/2
2nd 8 Halla San 13/2
3rd 3 Working Title 10/1
10 Ran Nr's 7, 11, 12 & 13
Distances 1/2 & 5
Fav 11 Nikos Extra 4/1 (7th)
Tote
Win £9.80
Places £2.70 £2.30 £3.80
Exacta £76.60
CSF £55.22
Tricast £491.50
Time 5' 04.75"

4:35 Handicap Chase 2m

1st 7 Pepsyrock 9/4 fav
2nd 9 Beggars Cap 8/1
3rd 8 Dominican Monk 11/2
8 Ran Nr 4
Distances 1/2 & 11
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.30
Places £1.40 £2.00 £1.80
Exacta £21.90
CSF £20.56
Tricast £88.04
Time

5:05 Handicap Chase 3m 1f

1st 2 Auroras Encore 17/2
2nd 4 Valley Ride7/2 fav
7 Ran Nr's 5 & 8
Distances 13
Fav second
Tote
Win £16.90
Places £5.80 £2.10
Exacta £54.50
CSF £37.02
Tricast £229.75
Time 6' 19.1"

5:35 NH Flat 2m

1st 5 Carters Rest 50/1
2nd 6 Master Beau 14/1
3rd 11 Sir Frank 11/2
10 Ran Nr 4
Distances 1 & 12
Fav 3 Gilbarry 5/4 (7th)
Tote
Win £43.50
Places £6.70 £4.10 £1.90
Exacta £2,453.00
CSF £653.85
Time 3' 35.1"