Scottish Grand National Preview & Betting Options

When and Where is the Scottish Grand National?

The 2025 Scottish Grand National will be run on Saturday, 12th April. It will be held at Ayr Racecourse in Ayrshire, Western Scotland, which has been run since 1966.

The Scottish Grand National is the main event, which is over two days of festival racing in the West of Scotland. Ladies Day is on Friday, 11th April, with the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase as the main event on day one.

The Scottish Grand National 2025: Everything You Need to Know

Although the Scottish Grand National isn’t as prominent as the English or Irish National, it’s still a major horse racing event that attracts thousands of spectators to the grandstands yearly.

It is a premier handicap National Hunt steeplechase open to horses five years or older. The Willie Mullins’ trained horse Macdermott won the 2025 Scottish Grand National with Danny Mullins aboard.

Below are the main details to be aware of before betting on this race:

• Class: Premier handicap

• Location: Ayr Racecourse, Ayrshire

• Distance: 4 miles

• Race type: National Hunt steeplechase

• Weight: Handicap

• Surface: Turf

• Track: Left-handed

• Qualification: Five years old and up

• Purse: £150,000

• Winning prize: £84,405

Scottish Grand National Previous Winners

The Willie Mullins stable secured its first Scottish Grand National victory in 2025. Below are details of the winning runners, riders, and trainers of the last ten Scottish Grand Nationals at Ayr Racecourse:

 In the history of the Scottish Grand National, only three horses have won the race three times:

• Couvrefeu II – 1911, 1912, 1913

• Southern Hero – 1934, 1936, 1939

• Queen’s Taste – 1953, 1954, 1956

However, it’s worth noting that all these races were run at Bogside before the race moved to its new home at Ayr Racecourse in 1966. From 1966 onwards, the following horses are the only ones in the race’s history to have won twice:

• Barona (1975 & 1976)

• Androma (1984 & 1985)

• Merigo (2010 & 2012)

• Vicente (2016 & 2017)

The most famous Scottish Grand National winner of all time has to be Red Rum, who stormed home to a famous victory at Ayr in 1974 with Brian Fletcher on board for Ginger McCain.

Scottish Grand National Preview 2025: Who Are the Favourites?

The 2024 winner of the Scottish Grand National, Macdermott, will return to Ayr this year, though he will be heavily weighted and not much fancied to win again this time out.

It’s uncommon for horses to win successive Scottish Grand Nationals, with Barona, Androma, and Vicente the only horses in the race’s history to achieve this feat at Ayr.

The favourite for the Grand National at Aintree, Inothewayurthinking, will also be running at Ayr, but he’s not likely to be among the favourites when we release our ante-post odds.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner will become the first horse since 1934 to complete a Gold Cup and Grand National double if he wins at Aintree. He would also love to add a Scottish Grand National to his achievements, but he will be another under heavy weight in Scotland.

Mr Vango is likely to be among the favourites for the Scottish Grand National, particularly after his Midlands Grand National win at Uttoxeter in March. As the top-weighted nine-year-old in the race, Mr Vango romped to victory with Jack Tudor aboard.

Though his trainer, Sara Bradstock, has admitted that Aintree in 2026 is the aim, a win at the Scottish Grand National in 2025 could also be on the cards.

Scottish Grand National 2025 Betting Tips

Before betting on the Scottish Grand National 2025 at Parimatch, consider the following tips to inform your betting strategy: 

• Although Inothewayurthinking will be among the favourites for both the Scottish and English Grand Nationals, only one horse has won both these races in the same year. Red Rum famously won the English and Scottish Grand Nationals in 1974.

• Since Iris de Balme’s 2009 Scottish Grand National win at 9 stone 7 pounds, only horses of ten pounds or more have won this race. The heaviest winner of this century was Grey Abbey in 2004 at an incredible weight of 11 stone 12 pounds. Typically, horses between 10 and 11 stones have the best chances of winning the Scottish Grand National, so consider this when making your selections.

• We like Mr Vango for the Scottish Grand National in 2025. Significantly, his likely jockey, Jack Tudor, has already won at Ayr after riding Kitty’s Light to glory in the 2023 National.

How to Bet on the Scottish Grand National at Parimatch

You can bet on the 2025 Scottish Grand National by creating an account at Parimatch. We offer extensive horse racing markets and competitive odds for all races, including the Scottish, Irish, and English Grand National.

After creating an account, visit our offers page and make a deposit. Then, do your homework and consider which horse might win the Scottish Grand National. All that’s left is to place your bet and watch the race.

We encourage you to gamble responsibly by betting within your means. Only bet what you can afford to lose on the Scottish Grand National and adjust your stake accordingly. Please visit our Safer Gambling Portal for tips, tools, and resources to help with responsible gambling.