TOP owner J.P. McManus has swooped to buy the Tony Martin-trained Gallant Oscar, favourite in most lists at around 9/1 for Saturday's Scottish National.

But the owner's retained rider A.P. McCoy will not be aboard the nine-year-old gelding at Ayr as the horse is set to carry 10st 1lb, below McCoy's minimum. McManus has no other runner in the race and McCoy has already accepted the mount on the Paul Nicholls-trained Benvolio, a general 16/1 shot. The top weight Sam Winner is a likely runner so the prospect of the weights rising is slim.

Frank Berry, racing manager for McManus, told The Irish Field on Wednesday evening: "Paul Carberry will ride Gallant Oscar but the horse won't run at all if the ground dries out too much. It's fine at the moment but it is drying."

Gallant Oscar was ante-post favourite for the Irish Grand National a fortnight ago but connections opted to bypass that race in the hope of securing a spot in last Saturday's Aintree Grand National. The horse failed to make the final 40 declarations at Aintree but now has a third chance of National glory. His form is strong - he finished fourth in the Thyestes Chase won by Djakadam and took third in the Cheltenham Festival handicap chase won by The Druids Nephew.

There hasn't been an Irish-trained winner of the Scottish National for 146 years. The last one to win was the Larry Hyland-trained and ridden Huntsman in 1869.

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