| Date: Saturday 9 April Venue: Aintree Racecourse Time: 17:15 BST |
| Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 dwell; updates on BBC Sport web site |
Tiger Roll has been dominated out of looking for a 3rd Grand National win in April with proprietor Michael O’Leary saying his allotted weight is “absurd”.
The 2018 and 2019 victor had been given 11st 4lb to carry – the identical as final yr’s winner Minella Times and 6lb under high weights Conflated and Galvin.
But Ryanair boss O’Leary mentioned it was a “ridiculous” ranking.
The horse might be retired after bidding for a sixth Cheltenham Festival success subsequent month, he mentioned.
The National is a handicap chase the place weights are allotted in accordance to every runner’s ranking.
O’Leary, boss of homeowners Gigginstown House Stud, mentioned: “We do not consider it’s truthful or secure to ask him to carry shut to high weight on the age of 12.
“Since we’re accountable for the welfare of Tiger Roll, we should shield him from the idiotic opinion of this handicapper
“We subsequently remorse to announce that he won’t run on this yr’s Aintree Grand National.
“Instead Tiger Roll shall be educated for the Cross Country race in Cheltenham, and there may be each probability that win, lose or draw, this shall be his final racecourse look.”
Handicapper Martin Greenwood mentioned he had “relented” by dropping Tiger Roll’s ranking.
“As I preserve telling individuals, you’ll be able to’t simply ignore his win within the Cross Country at Cheltenham final season which was lower than 12 months in the past when he simply defeated two good horses in Easysland and Some Neck,” added Greenwood.
Tiger Roll’s coach Gordon Elliott initially appeared content material when the weights had been introduced on Tuesday.
“He has a pleasant weight so the Grand National might be on the agenda,” mentioned Elliott earlier than O’Leary’s intervention.
Tiger Roll was solely the second horse after record-breaking triple winner Red Rum – whose second triumph in 1974 got here below 12st – to safe back-to-back Grand National wins.
There was no race in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Tiger Roll was pulled out from final yr’s contest in March due to what the house owners known as “an unfair weight” of 11st 9lb.
He gained carrying 10st 13lb in 2018 and 11st 5lb a yr later.
O’Leary mentioned Tiger Roll might have been saddled with up to 4lb greater than three years in the past if the weights rose as a result of stablemates Galvin and Conflated don’t run.
The choice to withdraw final yr got here within the days after a photograph appeared on social media of Elliott sitting on a lifeless horse, for which he was given a six-month ban.
There are 104 entries at this stage for the 174th working of the race on 9 April, though a most of 40 will line up on the day.
Former Welsh National winners Potters Corner and Secret Reprieve are listed at 86 and 87, so extremely unlikely to run.
Last yr’s Midlands Grand National winner Time To Get Up, educated by Jonjo O’Neill, is out after failing to run in sufficient races over fences to qualify,
Grand National – approximate odds: 14-1 Galvin 16-1 Any Second Now, Run Wild Fred, Snow Leopardess 20-1 Conflated, Minella Times 25-1 Burrows Saint, Death Duty, Eklat de Rire, Escaria Ten, Farclas, Mount Ida, Noble Yeats 33-1 Bar
Trainer Henry de Bromhead questioned the load – up 15lb from 2021 – for Minella Times who helped make historical past final yr as Rachael Blackmore turned the primary feminine jockey to triumph.
“Going on his type this yr I’m stunned he bought elevated,” he mentioned of the horse who fell at Punchestown in December and was pulled up at Leopardstown earlier this month.
Charlie Longsdon was blissful after his contender Snow Leopardess, bidding to change into the primary gray mare to win the race, was given 10st 3lb.
At 57 on the checklist, the coach is hopeful she is going to make the lower after different horses are withdrawn nearer the time.
Snow Leopardess returned to racing in November 2019, having given start to a foal throughout a two-year absence from the observe and gained the Becher Chase over the National fences in December.
“With her being a mum, it’s the form of story I can see individuals actually latching onto over the subsequent couple months,” mentioned Longsdon.
