Tiger Roll still fancied to make history at Aintree in 2021

Westmeath-owned thoroughbred Tiger Roll is still fancied by punters to pull off an historic third Aintree Grand National win in a row in 2021, after the marquee UK National Hunt steeplechase was called off for 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The 10-year-old gelding, owned by Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud (outside Delvin), came into 2020 having won the National in 2018 and 2019. He was looking to become the first horse ever to win three-in-a-row. Red Rum – the biggest name of them all – won three but over four races.

Now Tiger Roll still has the chance to win a third National and his trainer Gordon Elliott has confirmed that is still the plan.

“It is disappointing, but everyone from Aintree and involved in it has to do what’s right to get everything back on track,” Elliott told BBC Radio Four, after the Jockey Club cancelled the 2020 running of the National.

“So listen, we’re all on the one team, you know.

“This is the Grand National, how can you be confident of victory? But we like to have a few runners in the race, and we were really looking forward to it.”

Bookmakers have now made Tiger Roll 10/1 to win 2021, having been 8/1 favourite before this year’s postponement and they have also revealed the extent to their losses being over £100 million.

OddsMonkey spokesman Peter Watton commented: “The Grand National is one of British sport’s biggest events, it is the biggest horse race of the year and one of the largest betting events of any year.

“And to make things worse, this year Tiger Roll was due to make his historic attempt at a third successive win, so the £100 million estimate from the industry could actually have been somewhat bigger.”