There was to be no fairytale first John Smith's Grand National winner with his first runner for Donald McCain when Idle Talk departed just after halfway in the Aintree showpiece on Saturday, but quick compensation could await in the Coral-sponsored Scottish version at Ayr this weekend.

Idle Talk was never really competitive after the messy start and just as he was beginning to close on the leading group, he hit the 19th fence and shot Jason Maguire out of the saddle. But the eight-year-old has returned unscathed and McCain now has his eyes on the race in which Idle Talk finished fourth as a novice for Tom George 12 months ago.

"Hopefully, he will run," said McCain. "The start didn't help him. He got planted a little bit and he was slowly away. He was then careful over the first two or three fences and he just got a little bit detached. Jason was in no hurry and it would just have been interesting. Yes, he was well back, but he had loads of light and he was doing his own thing.

"He was just starting to make a little bit of ground. He stopped before the next fence though so he basically went just over two miles.

"He's not had a lot of racing this season and I have spoken to the horse's owner Mr Hemmings and he is quite keen to let him take his chance.

"He's still very fresh and I had to take him out of the paddock last night he was so well. As long as it's safe ground he will run. The frustrating thing is he now has three U's next to his name and to anybody who doesn't know the game it looks really bad."

One of the likely market leaders for Saturday's race is the Irish National runner-up Nine De Sivola. Ferdy Murphy's charge has yet to win over fences, but has some smart form in the book. "Nine De Sivola goes there on Saturday. He came out of the Irish National fantastic," said Murphy.

"He'd been running on heavy ground, but he's a lovely mover and I actually thought he'd be a bit better when we got good ground. With the weather as it is, it will be quite fast up at Ayr.

"There's a few to come out for him to get in, but I think that will happen because of the ground."

Halcon Genelardais heads the 45 entries left at the five-day declaration stage, with only three from Ireland - Michael Hourigan's A New Story, Ian Duncan's Another Rum and Tony Martin's Newbay Prop, but the latter is unlikely to travel due to the quick ground.

"I doubt he'll go and I'd say we'll wait for Punchestown with him," said Martin.

Alan King's Welsh National winner now tops the weights for the valuable Ayr handicap after My Will, State Of Play, Eurotrek and L'Ami defected.

Meanwhile, Russ Garritty, the leading Northern jockey, will bring to an end a 21-year career at the Ayrshire track.

The 41-year-old will take up the role of assistant to Malton trainer Tim Easterby following the bumper at the weekend.

Garritty has previously combined riding horses and assisting Easterby, but feels the time is now right to call it a day in the saddle. "I've been ever so lucky and have lived the dream," he said. "I've had such an amazing career. If somebody had told me I would be riding horses for a living when I left school I'd have thought they were mad.

"But the time has come to call it a day. Tim has offered me this opportunity and, at the end of the day, it's all about job security. It's hard to do two jobs and I'm not getting any younger. I have worked with some great trainers and owe a big thank you to lots of people."

  • Coral Scottish Grand National. Sponsors bet 6-1 Character Building, 8-1 Nine De Sivola, Rambling Minster, 10-1 Baron Wind-rush, 12-1 Parsons Legacy, Wee Robbie, D'Argent, Newbay Prop, 14-1 Mon Mome, Miko de Beauchene, 16-1 Idle Talk Halcon Genelardais, Drombeag, 20-1 A New Story, Napolitain, Run For Paddy, 25-1 bar