Scottish Grand National ante-post tips: 33-1 and 16-1 chances can outrun their odds

Willie Mullins was responsible for over a quarter of the field in last year's Coral Scottish Grand National and saddled the first two home en-route to a second successive trainers' championship. With Dan Skelton having already wrapped up his maiden Champion Trainer title this season however, the Master of Closutton has just one potential runner in Saturday's £200,000 feature at Ayr in the shape of Road To Home, last seen finishing second in the Kim Muir.

Other than fellow Cheltenham Festival runner-up King Of Answers, every other horse in this year's renewal can be backed at a minimum of 12-1 at the time of writing, so where does the value lie at this stage?

A quick look at the weather forecast suggests the four-mile contest could well be run on testing ground, which brings recent Midlands Grand National winner Isaac Des Obeux into play, who can currently be backed at as big as 16-1.

His trainer Paul Nicholls saddled Vicente to win this race in both 2016 and 2017, and the son of Kapgarde produced a career best last time to take Uttoxeter's feature by eight lengths on soft ground.

He has ben raised 7lb by the handicapper for that comfortable victory on what was his first try beyond three and a quarter miles, and there is every reason to believe he could have further improvement in him given he is 'only' eight and has had just the eight starts over fences.

His tendency to jump right at times is a minor niggle, but he had his rivals in trouble from a long way out last time and if he turns up at Ayr in similar form, he should be staying on strongly when others have cried enough. Encouragingly, three of the last four winners of the Scottish Grand National have won off a mark of 140 - this unexposed stayer will run off a very fair mark of 139.

The other runner that makes appeal at a huge price is Our Power, who finished third in this race last year off a 6lb higher mark and can be backed at 33-1. Trained by Sam Thomas, he is now 11 years of age, but has not had an especially hard season, with just three runs in defeat since his placed effort in this 12 months ago, all of which can be excused to some degree.

He fell at the third over the National fences in the Sefton on his seasonal debut, plugged on into sixth off a huge weight in the Berkshire National at Ascot, and then came unstuck in the ground at Wincanton last time, behind the aforementioned Isaac Des Obeaux.

Whilst there is rain forecast, conditions are unlikely to be quite as attritional as that last run, and a repeat of last season's efforts would see him amongst the places again. He certainly appeals as one of the more likely runners, with several entries having run at Aintree this weekend and facing a quick turnaround. He can outrun his odds for his astute trainer.

Back ISAAC DES OBEAUX at 16-1 each-way with bet365.

Back OUR POWER at general 33-1 each-way.