Grand National weights: Angry Tiger Roll owner Michael O’Leary withdraws horse from Grand National saying dual-winner’s rating is “absurd”

DUAL winner Tiger Roll was last night dramatically withdrawn from this year’s Randox Grand National – just hours after trainer Gordon Elliott suggested the horse was on course to attempt to seek a record-equalling third win in the historic race.
This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.

Victorious in 2018 and 2019 under evergreen jockey Davy Russell, the veteran racehorse has been allotted 11st 4lb for April’s showpiece race – the same mark as defending champion Minella Times who will be expected to carry more than a stone than last year.

Yet, within hours, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, whose horses run under his Gigginstown House Stud banner, issued a statement criticising British Horseracing Authority chief handicapper Martin Greenwood, describing his rating of 161 for Tiger Roll as “absurd”.

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O’Leary also suggested that the horse will be retired after next month’s Cheltenham Festival where he’s due to seek a record-equalling sixth win at the National Hunt Festival.

This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.

His statement read: “Tiger Roll is now 12 years old.

“He is clearly not as good as he was at eight or nine, and yet the UK handicapper now rates him 2lb higher than his 159 rating in April 2019, when he won both the Boyne Hurdle and the Aintree Grand National.

“This rating is absurd, and unfair on a 12-year-old chaser. It is a pity that the handicapper won’t give Tiger Roll either a fair rating or a fair weight in the Aintree Grand National, where he could at least try to emulate Red Rum’s three wins.

“Since we are responsible for the welfare of Tiger Roll, we must protect him from the idiotic opinion of this handicapper. We therefore regret to announce that he will not run in the year’s Aintree Grand National.

This was Rachael Blackmore after making Grand National history on Minella Times last year.This was Rachael Blackmore after making Grand National history on Minella Times last year.
This was Rachael Blackmore after making Grand National history on Minella Times last year.
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“Instead Tiger Roll will be trained for the cross country race in Cheltenham and there is every likelihood that win, lose or draw, this will be his last racecourse appearance.

“He will then return home for his well-earned retirement here in Gigginstown for the rest of his days... and sadly the race will be poorer for his absence.”

In his defence, handicapper Martin Greenwood had earlier said: “I have relented a bit with Tiger Roll and he is down to 161 from 166 last year, which is 5lb lower. As I keep telling people, you can’t just ignore his win in the cross country at Cheltenham last season which was less than 12 months ago when he easily defeated two good horses in Easysland and Some Neck.

“He and Minella Times – the two previous winners among the entries – are both on 161. Minella Times has run two stinkers this year, but it was only three starts ago that he was winning the Grand National.”

This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
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Tiger Roll became the first horse since Red Rum in 1973-74 to win consecutive Grand Nationals in 2018 and 2019.

However, the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the race in 2020, while connections chose not to run him in the 2021 renewal as they were not happy with the handicapper’s assessment of Tiger Roll.

Earlier Elliott said of Tiger Roll: “I do think there is still more in him and we are certainly not finished yet.”

Meanwhile Henry de Bromhead insisted he was “surprised” at the handicapper’s decision to raise Minella Times by more than a stone. The JP McManus-owned gelding helped Rachael Blackmore make history as the first female jockey to win the National carrying a weight of 10st 3lb.

This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
This was Tiger Roll and Davy Russell winning a second successive Randox Grand National in 2019 for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
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From a Yorkshire perspective, Windsor Avenue, who won last month’s Sky Bet Chase for Malton trainer Brian Ellison, is guaranteed a place in the 40-runner field for the April 9 race after being allotted 10st 8lb and 31st place in the handicap.

Ellison said Windsor Avenue, owned by Phil and Julie Martin from Tickhill, is in good order and due to be ridden in the National by the in form Sean Quinlan who was in the saddle at Doncaster.

And while Catterick trainer Phil Kirby’s Top Ville Ben, is 46th of the 104 entries, and due to run off 10st 5lb, he’s almost certain to make the cut for the big race when higher-rated horses are withdrawn after Cheltenham.