Young Kenny, trained at Brandsby by Peter Beaumont, can lift the £70,000 Stakis Casinos Scottish Grand National at Ayr tomorrow.

The race, coming just a week after the Aintree National, has suffered as a result, with a wholesale defection at the top of the handicap.

The weights have been raised no less than 25lb and Young Kenny now has to carry top weight of 11st 10lb.

That hefty burden should not, however, be too much for this progressive long-distance specialist, who is chasing a hat trick of major successes.

Victorious in the Greenalls Grand National Trial at Haydock, Young Kenny has since won the Midlands National at Uttoxeter grossing some £90,000 in two races.

Another valuable pay-day awaits Young Kenny tomorrow. With Brendan Powell again in the saddle, the big local hope can clinch the National honours.

Also worth noting at Ayr is high-class novice Crazy Horse in the Samsung Electronics Scottish Champion Hurdle and Riot Leader, an unlucky loser of Cheltenham's Kim Muir Chase in the Scotsman Novices' Handicap Chase.

At Thirsk, all eyes will be on Pipalong in the £16,000 Thirsk Classic Trial, which takes pride of place.

Tim Easterby's filly proved a very useful filly last year as a juvenile, finishing second in the Queen Mary Stakes and the Cherry Hinton and winning three races, including the valuable Comcast Teesside Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar.

Now stepping up to a mile, she is into a new ball game, but a bold bid tomorrow will earn her a tilt at the 1,000 Guineas.

Mark Johnston, who sent out two winners at Ripon yeterday can continue his good run in the Mic Michael Foster Memorial Conditions Stakes.

The Middleham trainer is represented by Gaelic Storm, a very smart sprinter, who went from strength to strength last season. He looks poised to enjoy another lucrative campaign.

Tom Tun won in pleasing style on his return to turf at Newcastle recently and the Julie Craze-trained sprinter is napped to follow up in the Thomas Lord Handicap.

Tomorrow's third televised meeting tomorrow is at Newbury, where Killer Instinct will start at prohibitive odds in the Burghclere Maiden Stakes.

Henry Cecil's colt has a huge home reputation and nothing less than an impressive victory tomorrow will justify his tall claims and earn him a crack at the forthcoming 2,000 Guineas. Kieren Fallon has the ride.

Fallon will also be aboard the Cecil-trained Enrique in the Triple Greenham Stakes and this smart colt - another with a 2,000 Guineas entry - is taken to prevail.

Twice a winner as a juvenile, Enrique was not at his best when finishing fourth to Mujahid in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October.

Fallon and Cecil can also strike with Capri in the Lanes End John Porter Stakes.

Tom O'Ryan's tips

AYR:

Nouveau Cheval,

2.25 Riot Leader,

Irbee,

Crazy Horse,

Young Kenny,

Green Green Desert,

Head For The Hills

THIRSK:

1.50 Forest Call,

2.20 High Tatr,

Paradise Yangshuo,

Tom Tun (Nap),

3.50 Gaelic Storm,

Pipalong,

4.55 Kestrel,

Scene

NEWBURY:

King Priam,

Capri,

Enrique,

3.30 Right Wing,

Royal Patron,

Killer Instinct,

5.00 Iscan

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.