TIGER ROLL WILL aim to emulate the legendary Red Rum by bidding for a third Grand National only if the handicapper allots him a rating of 165 or lower, according to Gigginstown racing manager Eddie O’Leary.
Outlining plans for the dual Grand National hero, O’Leary said: “He won’t run at the Cheltenham November meeting this year because it’s a handicap.
“He’ll have a run over hurdles before Christmas, then onto the Boyne Hurdle before running in the cross-country chase at Cheltenham.
“If they compress the weights for the Grand National, we’ll run – but only if they condense the weights. We’re rated 171 – if he’s off 165 he’ll run but if he’s off 166 he won’t be running.”
O’Leary admitted he had been caught off guard by the outpouring of affection directed towards Tiger Roll – who won last season’s race off a mark of 159 – but insists Gordon Elliott and Keith Donoghue deserve all the credit for such heroics.
He added:
This horse keeps on rewriting the book. Don Cossack was a brilliant horse but Tiger Roll is doing things that no horse has done before. It’s a testament to his trainer and all the lads up in Cullentra.
“People forget that this horse had stopped racing. He’d given up the ghost and stopped racing but Gordon and Keith got him back and he’s a superstar now. It’s incredible. Even we [Eddie and Michael O'Leary] are coming around to the idea that he’s a superstar.”
Brian Fleming; for more visit the Racing Post
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