Gordon Elliott’s Tiger Roll has won back to back Grand National races but the 2020 edition of the race is in doubt for the two-time winner. Tiger Roll’s participation has been called into uncertainty for the legendary horse race after he was given top weight in the build-up to the Grand National. Can the two-time Grand National winner overcome the given weight and win the race for the third time in three years? Horse race punters can visit horse-bettors.com to get the latest bet bonuses before the Grand National and wager on the horse they believe will win.
Tiger Roll’s weight is considered a disappointment by his management team having been given a weight of 11th 10lbs. Coincidentally, the Elliott trained Delta Work has also been given the same weight as the Grand National 2020 approaches in April.
The 10-year-old won the 2019 edition of the Grand National becoming the first horse since Red Rum to win the race in consecutive years. Red Rum won the Grand National in 1973 and 1974 before winning it a third time in 1977. No horse has won the Grand National off of top weight since Red Rum did it in 1974. Although the feat of winning it once more at top weight isn’t unheard of, it hasn’t been done in nearly half a century.
According to Tiger Roll’s camp, the horse’s stablemate Delta Work will run in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Delta Work was given the same weight by handicappers, and owners Michael and Eddie O’Leary feel their two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll may have been judged unfairly.
It has been suggested that Tiger Roll will not compete in the Grand National if the O’Learys are not satisfied with the handicapper. However, horse racing insiders do not believe it is possible that the brother ownership duo will pass on the chance for Tiger Roll to make British horse racing history by winning a third straight Grand National race.
Tiger Roll is expected to have a similar short build-up to the Grand National 2020 as last season. Elliott is set to run the horse at the Boyne Hurdle at Navan. Tiger Roll will then be unleashed at the Cheltenham Festival in March in the Cross-Country Chase. The horse has won four times previously at the Cheltenham Festival.
The short prep comes after nearly a year off from racing. Tiger Roll has not competed since the 2019 edition of the Grand National. Last year’s race saw Tiger Roll win by two-and-three-quarter lengths against Magic Of Light.
According to Martin Greenwood, the man in charge of handicapping the Grand National, this year’s race has some of the highest quality runners of all-time. It is made up of horses that have won major honours at top races around Ireland and Great Britain.
Although the O’Learys have stated Tiger Roll won’t run if they perceive the handicapper to be unfavourable, it is unlikely the horse will sit out the most difficult Jumps race in the world after winning in the last two seasons.
