The toast of Scotland!

Milnathort-based Lucinda Russell became just the fourth female to train the winner of the world’s most famous steeplechase.

“He has done us proud, done Scotland proud and done everyone at the yard proud,” she said.

For school friends and owners, Belinda McClung, from Jedburgh, and East Lothian-based Debs Thomson – the ‘Two Golf Widows’ – it was a dream come true.

“We decided to have a horse together and that is when we found Arthur,” said Belinda. Deborah added: “We always hoped he’d be a National horse in the making... but to actually win!”

While the focus was on Aintree, Scottish trainers were also in form at other courses the same afternoon.

At Newcastle, the well-backed Chain of Beacons justified favouritism to head the two-mile handicap chase for Greenlaw trainer, Sandy Thomson.

Half-an-hour later, Hawick jockey, Craig Nichol, rode Starplex to a 4-1 victory in the 2½-mile handicap hurdle race for Carluke trainer, Keith Dalgleish.

On the all-weather at Wolverhampton, Thorntoun Care was the 6-1 winner of the seller for Carrutherstown trainer, Iain Jardine.

One for Arthur’s victory parade drew a bumper crowd to Kelso, on April 10, where Scotswell enjoyed a pillar to post success in the feature £12,000 handicap chase for Camptown trainer, Harriet Graham, who also bred the winner.

The 11-year-old loves the Borders track and stayed on gamely to hold last year’s winner Nakadam. “He’s home-bred and has done us really proud,” said Harriet, who was also full of praise for winning jockey, Dany Cook. The victory marked the horse’s 10th career success.

Harriet went on to complete a double when Sudski Star headed the concluding conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle race. The 10-1 chance carried the colours of racecourse director, Geoff Adam, and was given a great ride by Callum Bewley.

Chain of Beacons, who won at Newcastle just two days later, was to the fore after the final fence in the two-mile handicap chase, but was collared by the fast-finishing Welcome Ben.

The 12-1 winner was ridden by Hawick jockey, Craig Nichol, for Scotland’s most northerly trainer – Inverurie-based Jackie Stephen.

Their normal 4½-hour journey was made even longer after their lorry had a puncture at Brechin en-route.

Ryan Nichol made it consecutive wins for the brothers, after riding Havana Jack to take the prestigious Buccleuch Cup (maiden hunter chase) for Irvine owner/trainer Leonard Kerr.

“It’s our big race here,” said Ryan, who has returned to his home town, having just joined Alistair Whillans’ yard.

On the Flat at Redcar the same afternoon, two Hawick-born handlers had winners. eith Dalgleish won the second division of the maiden stakes with Kensington Star, while Iain Jardine took the fillies’ handicap with 11-1 chance Kerry Icon.

Kerry Icon is owned by Michael Wares, from Jedburgh – father of Grand National winning co-owner, Belinda McClung.

At Carlisle, on April 5, trainer George Bewley and jockey son, Jonathon, posted an 8-1 victory in the novice handicap chase when Allez Cool got up by a neck. George recently moved from his Hawick farm base to Cumbria.

Lucinda Russell also had a close-finish winner at the meeting when 11-1 chance Mumgo’s Debut got the verdict by a head in the 2½-mile handicap chase.

The nine-year-old failed to complete in two of his last three starts and the Milnathort trainer added: “He is actually a really good jumper, but has just had a few little blips. It is nice to get him back on track and he is quite progressive.”

Hawick jockey, Rowan Scott, rode a winner on the all-weather at Southwell on April 6. He partnered the Keith Dalgleish-trained Taxmeifyoucan to head the 1m 4f handicap.

George and Jonathon Bewley were back in the winner’s enclosure at Sedgefield on April 7, when Mitcd posted a 7-1 win in the mares’ handicap hurdle race. That took their seasonal tally to a best-ever of 13 wins.

At Leicester the same afternoon, St Boswells owners, Paul and Clare Rooney, saw Kick On Kick On enjoy and 8-1 win in the opening five-furlong stakes.

They were also in the winner’s enclosure at Market Rasen, on April 9, when the Philip Hobbs-trained Who’s My Jockey headed the concluding bumper.

Callum Bewley rode Total Assets to a fourth course success when heading the handicap hurdle race at Kelso on Monday, April 3. Trained at Mitford by Simon Waugh, the mare carries the colours of the Northumberland Racing Club.

“She loves Kelso but as far as I’m concerned it’s also a lot to do with the trip,” said the winning trainer. “She is so gutsy and such a slugger that most of her wins come through dogged determination.

“When she won her last chase here in December she looked beaten at the bottom bend but her stamina just seems to kick in for that last two furlongs. I’d imagine we will look for something back here for her after this,” he concluded.

Midnite Grace opened her account under Rules at the second time of asking, to land the maiden hurdle race for Northumberland trainer Pauline Robson. She also jockey, Brian Hughes, with the first leg of a double.

“The owners have been extremely patient as she had some time off with a leg early on after she joined us,” explained Pauline. “She’s been a typical mare really, and will, hopefully, go to Perth next month.”

Scots accounted for five of the afternoon’s six races at Hexham, on March 28.

Iain Jardine had his Hetland Hill stable in great heart and Bruichladdich posted an 8-1 success in the novice hurdle race. He carries the colours of Distillery Racing Club and was bred at Annan’s Distillery Stud.

Lucinda Russell keeps firing out the winners and continued her victory trail with a 5-1 victory by Orioninverness in the 2½-mile handicap chase.

Coylton-based Ian Duncan saddled King of Fashion to head the 2m 7f novice hurdle race in convincing fashion. “He’s all heart and he’s very game,” said the handler, who reckoned his charge would prefer better ground.

“He’ll go to Ayr for the three-mile novices’ handicap hurdle at the Scottish National meeting.”

The concluding bumper was won in convincing fashion by 4-1 chance Baracula, ridden by Ryan Nichol, and trained at Greenlaw by Sandy Thomson.

“He did a bit of work with Seeyouatmidnight a week past Saturday and Seeyouatmidnight never got to him and I knew then he was all right,” said the Berwickshire trainer, whose charge was returning from a 359-day lay-off.

Newmarket Warrior got up by a neck to land the apprentice handicap at Newcastle on March 31 for Iain Jardine and Rowan Scott rode 28-1 chance Zovaran to head the seven-furlong handicap at the same track on April 2 for Keith Dalgleish.