THIS month's Coral Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr Racecourse will be the richest ever race meeting to be run in Scotland with a massive £615,000 in prize-money over the two days.

With five of the 15 races at the Festival Class 1s, the quality of runners is also shaping to the best ever with the UK and Ireland’s leading trainers including Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, who are fighting it out for the British Trainers’ Championship, Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Alan King and Colin Tizzard all likely to have runners.

The highlight of the opening day on Friday April 21 is the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase, a Class 1 Listed Race, which is worth £50,000 and is run over two miles four furlongs. Last year’s winner was Definitly Red from the Brian Ellison yard currently second favourite for the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree next month.

Friday also sees the running of the three mile Coral.co.uk Mares’ Handicap Hurdle a £25,000 Class 2 contest that is always very competitive.

Saturday’s eight race card features Scotland’s richest race, the £215,000 Coral Scottish Grand National, which is also one of the iconic events of the Scottish sporting calendar.

The race is the UK’s fourth largest in terms of betting turnover, the second richest handicap in jumps racing and will be the feature race of ITV Racing’s Live coverage on ITV1.

The Coral Scottish Grand National is run over a four mile course with a maximum of 30 horses jumping 27 fences.

Last year’s winner was Vicente from the Paul Nicholls yard.

The Grade 2 Class 1 QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle, with £105,000 in prize-money, is one of the top five handicap hurdles of the year and will be contested by some highly-rated hurdlers from Britain and Ireland.

Saturday’s card has sold out in advance for the last two years and will undoubtedly do so again this year. For more information and to book tickets go online at http://scottishgrandnationalfestival.co.uk/ or call 01292 264179.