Scottish Grand National:Ferdy Murphy is hoping for some swift Grand National compensation at Ayr today following the disappointment of Joes Edge at Aintree last week.

The Middleham handler saddles both Nine De Sivola and Hot Weld in the Scottish version over an extended four miles.

Nine De Sivola goes into the race on the back of a career-best effort in the Irish National at Fairyhouse when he failed by a length to collar Butler's Cabin.

"He still looks fresh and he came out of the Irish National pretty well," said Murphy. "Sometimes they can run in long-distance races and be a bit dead on their feet but he wasn't, he was bouncing around after the race. He ate up that night and travelled back fantastic.

"Since then we've just had him ticking over and he seems fresh and well. He's been out in the paddock everyday and we've been quite happy with him.

"He's 14lb 'well in' on the book so we were praying and hoping that everything would work out well for us and it has worked out grand."

Hot Weld has been out of sorts since a victory at last year's Cheltenham Festival, but Murphy reports him to be just coming right again.

He will be ridden by PJ McDonald, with Graham Lee riding Nine De Sivola.

"He has come back to himself a little bit in this nice weather and he showed a bit more on his last start," said the West Witton handler. "We'll be making plenty of use of him because he is only carrying 9st 9lb.

"He likes the track and he's got a good little rider on his back. I think he might surprise a few people tomorrow, he could run quite well.

"He won at the Cheltenham Festival last year, but other people have found this as well that if you win a race there you get hit very hard by the handicapper and it takes a while for them to find their feet. He seems to be coming back though and PJ has been riding him out at home and we are hoping for the best."

Another who has found Butler's Cabin a tough nut to crack is John Quinn's Character Building, second in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham to Jonjo O'Neill's charge.

But Quinn is reluctant to run the grey seven-year-old on a quick surface and he will be pounding the course at the break of dawn to see if there is sufficient cut in the ground for him to take part.

"We're hoping to run, subject to the ground being all right," said Quinn. "It is his main objective, this is the race we want to run in. He's in at Punchestown next week, but his preference is for the Scottish National and it's their call as to how the ground is produced.

"My owner walked it on Wednesday, a connection to the yard walked it this morning. I'll also walk it at six o'clock tomorrow morning.

"We'll give it every chance.

"He's been in great nick since Cheltenham. He's a good sound jumper, he stays and his form is good. He's unlikely to run in a big race off this mark again too.

"We intend to run unless we are not happy with the ground."

Lucinda Russell is also doubly-represented with Catch The Perk and Strong Resolve, with the latter now to be partnered by Tom Scudamore following the news that Paddy Aspell has injured a vertebrae in his back.