Cinders And Ashes back in action at Musselburgh

Cinders And Ashes, winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the 2012 Festival for the McCain stable, has his first race since that meeting last March in Sunday's John Smith's Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh.

"We're happy with him at home and it's time to go to the races and see where we stand," said McCain.

"He's been off a long time and we'll be riding him accordingly, but we need to get him going and we said we wanted to start him off over two miles on a flat track on decent ground and see how we go.

"That's what we're doing and we'll know a lot more after Sunday."

McCain sends a big raiding party to the Edinburgh track starting with Kie and Swift Arrow in the John Smith's Scottish Champion Chase (Handicap).

"Both horses ran in this race last year and Swift Arrow ended up winning, so we thought we'd let them take their chance again," he said.

"We've been on the lookout for decent ground for Kie for a while, as we have with the other horse. This is probably the weakest race Kie has run in for a while.

"This is their level and hopefully they go there with little chances."

McCain is represented in the John Smith's Scottish Future Champions Novices' Chase by Doyly Carte, who bids to make amends for a fall at Catterick on her latest start.

"We're going for the ground and I think two and a half miles around Musselburgh is probably about right for her. She did win here over hurdles," said McCain.

"She's bit a long way off them on ratings and Jason (Maguire) felt she'd have won at Catterick but for falling, so we'll see how we go."

Argent Knight, runner-up in two starts over the small obstacles at Catterick, is the McCain team member in the Albert Bartlett Scottish Trial (Novices' Hurdle)

"He does tend to do things out to his left a little bit, but the race cut up and we said we'd let him take his chance," said McCain.

"He's run in the Cesarewitch on the Flat, so you'd expect him to get the trip."

Henderson reports Dawalan to be in fine fettle ahead of the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Series Qualifier) as he returns to the fray for the first time since scoring at Aintree eight weeks ago.

"We had his wind done in the summer. He is just a better horse on better ground because of his breathing. But he is working very well at the moment. He is in terrific form," said the Seven Barrows trainer.

Brian Ellison hopes The Grey Taylor can show he is worth taking to the Festival when he runs in the Sky Bet Supreme Scottish Trial Novices' Hurdle.

"The Grey Taylor is a lovely horse and next year he'll be some chaser. I've entered him in the Supreme and we'll see how he gets on here before deciding whether he'll be going or not," said the North Yorkshire handler.

"He's one of those that we're already thinking about fences so we don't really want to do anything daft with that in mind.

"He has made the running so far but he doesn't have to, it's just been the case that nobody else has wanted to go on.

"I think he's improved a hell of a lot since his last run."