Grand National: Tiger Roll given 'nice' weight for Aintree race

Tiger Roll is rated around a 25-1 chance to win this year's Grand National

Tiger Roll could be aimed at a record-equalling third Grand National win at Aintree in April after the weights were announced for the race.

Tiger Roll is set to bid for a sixth Cheltenham Festival win next month.

"He has a nice weight so the Grand National could be on the agenda," said trainer Gordon Elliott.

However, Eddie O'Leary - racing manager for Tiger Roll's owners Gigginstown House Stud - was less positive about his treatment.

"There's obviously still an agenda against him. It's all the time against this horse," he said.

"We would hope to have plenty of runners in it (Grand National) and hope for a bit of luck. If Tiger's not there, he's not there."

• All the Grand National weights

Tiger Roll was only the second horse after Red Rum to secure back-to-back Grand National wins.

There was no race in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Tiger Roll was pulled out from last year's contest in March because of what the owners called "an unfair weight" of 11st 9lb.

He won carrying 10st 13lb in 2018 and 11st 5lb a year later.

The decision to withdraw came after a photo appeared on social media of Elliott sitting on a dead horse, for which he was given a six-month ban.

Elliott is aiming 12-year-old Tiger Roll at the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival before a decision on Aintree is made.

"There is still a more in him and we are certainly not finished yet," said Elliott, whose other entries include Conflated and Galvin.

The National is a handicap chase where weights are allocated according to each runner's rating.

There are 104 entries at this stage for the 174th running of the race on 9 April, although a maximum of 40 will line up on the day.

Former Welsh National winners Potters Corner and Secret Reprieve are listed at 86 and 87, so are highly unlikely to run.

Last year's Midlands Grand National winner Time To Get Up, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, is out after failing to run in enough 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, Tiger Roll 33-1 Bar

Rachael Blackmore made history on Minella Times in the 2021 Grand National

Trainer Henry de Bromhead questioned the weight, up 15lb from 2021, for Minella Times who helped make history last year as Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to triumph.

"Going on his form this year I'm surprised he got increased," he said of the horse who fell at Punchestown in December and was pulled up at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Charlie Longsdon was happy after his contender Snow Leopardess, bidding to become the first grey mare to win the race, was given 10st 3lb.

At 57 on the list, the trainer is hopeful she will make the cut after other horses are withdrawn nearer the time.

Snow Leopardess returned to racing in November 2019 having given birth to a foal during a two-year absence from the track and won the Becher Chase over the National fences in December.

"With her being a mum, it is the sort of story I can see people really latching on to over the next couple months," he said.

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