The race to see who will be crowned champion national hunt trainer has intensified in the past few days after Willie Mullins landed the main race of the weekend the Scottish Grand National with a one-two after Captain Cody defeated his stablemate Klark Kent at Ayr on Saturday.

The result moves the Irish trainer, who landed the Grand National at Aintree a week ago with Nick Rockett, a step closer to a second British championship.

However, the Mullins-trained 2024 winner Macdermott and The Kniphand both suffered fatal injuries.

The Kniphand, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, was one of several fallers in the race, while Macdermott was pulled up.

The Twiston-Davies team have paid tribute to yard favourite The Kniphand who developed from a troublesome youngster to a consistent staying chaser, after his death in the Coral Scottish Grand National on Saturday.

The seven-year-old fell two fences from home at Ayr and was one of two fatalities along with last year's winner Macdermott. His death comes just a week on from the same stable seeing Broadway Boy fall heavily in the Grand National at Aintree, but he is making "steady progress" under 24-hour care.

The Kniphand had been with Nigel Twiston-Davies since the age of three, having been broken in at the Cheltenham stable, before going on to win five races. He produced his best performance when second in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster last month.

"It's such a shame," said Willy Twiston-Davies, son and assistant to Nigel. "He was such a lovely horse and his owner Dermot [Owens] had been very patient with him. He was improving with racing, progressing, and turning into a nice horse.

"It's a huge disappointment to everybody because he was one of the yard favourites. He was a real character. We broke him in ourselves at three. He used to be a bit of a naughty boy, but became one of the safest rides in the yard. The whole stable loved him and it's really sad for everyone.”

Twenty-four hours earlier, the leader at the top of the prize money table Dan Skelton bagged a treble on the opening afternoon of the Scottish Grand National meeting.

Victories for Riskintheground, Asta La Pasta and Roxanne extended his advantage over title-holder Willie Mullins, which stood at £122,000 before racing began on Saturday.

"It's a long way to go but these are all helping," said Skelton, who is seeking his first title.

"We're better placed than we were last year. Coming into this day last year we were actually behind, but this time we're in front. It's going to be hard to resist his forces but we'll just do the best we can."

Newbury’s opening flat racing of the season took place on Friday and Saturday with trainer Andrew Blading having a super Saturday he will remember by landing a stunning 2,733-1 four timer.

One of the quartet to succeed was Jonquil who struck in the Group Three Greenham Stakes. Owned by Juddmonte, Jonquil’s odds were slashed to 12-1 from 50-1 for next month’s Betfred 2,000 guineas at Newmarket.

Patrick McGettigan pulled off a remarkable 80-1 masterstroke on Albian Princess in the 1m2½f handicap at Dundalk on Friday evening when desperately holding on for a last-gasp success after pulling well clear of the field at one stage.

By Peter Moore