LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: Davy Russell riding Tiger Roll clear the last to win The Randox Health Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase at Aintree racecourse on April 14, 2018 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll will not line up for a third attempt at victory in the 2021 race owing to “unfair weight” allocation.
The 2018 and 2019 winner was allocated a rating of 166 (11st 9lb) for the 2021 race, but owner Gigginstown House Stud has said it believes this is “unfair”, adding they believe it does not reflect the horse’s age or form over the past two seasons.
Tiger Roll was allocated 11st 1lb for the 2019 Grand National — although all entries were allocated an additional 4lb when top weight Bristol De Mai was withdrawn that year, meaning he started at 11st 5lb.
Gigginstown said in a statement that they would have allowed him to run if his rating had been “in the 150s”, but “in the circumstances, as previously advised, Tiger Roll will not run”.
It added that they, as owners, have a “duty of care” to Tiger Roll and “will not ask him to carry an unfair weight burden especially as he gets older and his form declines”.
“We hope he will run next as planned in the cross-country race at Cheltenham (17 March), where we hope he will enjoy himself and run well,” it states.
It adds after that they will “consider his future wellbeing, which may involve retirement” if his handicap is not adjusted.
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“We all look forward to this year’s Aintree Grand National, which we hope can now proceed without any further speculation over Tiger Roll’s participation,” it states.
The decision means Red Rum retains his record as the only horse to win three Grand Nationals and Tiger Roll will not become the first horse to win three consecutive runnings of the race.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
