THE coveted British Trainers’ Championship looks set to be fought out against the backdrop of the Coral Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr Racecourse – the richest jumps meeting in Scotland - later this month.

Entries for the £215,000 Coral Scottish Grand National and the £105,000 QTS Champion Hurdle were announced yesterday and between them Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls, who are locked in battle for the title, have 18 horses entered across the two Class 1 contests.

Henderson, who led the championship by £83,486 at the time of going to press, has four in each race including Sceaux Royal, L’Ami Serge and Peace and Co in the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle and Vyta du Roc, fifth in the race behind Vicente last year, in the Coral Scottish Grand National.

Nicholls, who secured the title last year after saddling four winners on the Saturday including Vicente in the Scottish Grand National, has Arpege D’Alene, fourth in the JT McNamara National Hunt Challenge Cup at Cheltenham, among his entries for the race this year and Diego Du Charmil and Zubayr heading his possible raiders for QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle.

With both trainers expected to have many runners across the 15 races on April 21 and 22, the title fight looks like being an intriguing ingredient of this year’s Festival.

Ayr Racecourse Managing Director David Brown said: “The added attraction of the trainers championship being played out over the two days elevates this Festival to an even higher level and the quality of horses entered in both the principal races is proof of that.

“The demand for tickets this year underlines the importance of this meeting and we are all looking forward to a truly wonderful feast of racing and entertainment.”