Tiger Roll is bidding to make history in April by becoming the first horse to win the Grand National three years running. The bookmakers rate his chances quite highly as he is the 5/1 ante-post favourite to come out on top once again at Aintree.
The Irish horse, who is trained by Gordon Elliott, is among the 105 initial entries for the world’s most famous steeplechase. He has yet to feature so far this season but is likely to take a similar path to how he campaigned in 2019.
His liking for the bigger fences at the Merseyside track began in 2018 when he was successful at odds of 10/1 in his debut in the 4m2½f contest. Just 12 months later, he was the well-backed 4/1 favourite and he prevailed by just under three lengths.
A hat-trick bid looked unlikely straight after his triumph in 2019 as connections claimed they did not have plans to return to Liverpool again in 2020. They have since decided that the opportunity to make history was too good to turn down.
Tiger Roll and the other 104 horses currently declared will find out their weight allocation later this month. This is likely to have a significant impact on the ante-post betting with many horses sure to drift and shorten.
Hat-trick bid looming at Cheltenham where he is the red-hot favourite
Not only has Aintree been a happy hunting ground for Tiger Roll over the last couple of years, he has also had a lot of success at the Cheltenham Festival.
The four-day meeting at Prestbury Park sees the best horses in each division face off against each other. Tiger Roll is sure to be one of the most popular betting tips for Cheltenham once again this year.
Elliott’s runner won the Triumph Hurdle at the meeting in 2014 as a novice. In 2018 and 2019 he recorded victories in the Cross Country Chase, the most unique contest across the week at the Gloucestershire-based racecourse.
The bookmakers make Tiger Roll the 5/4 favourite in the odds on the Cheltenham Festival 2020 for the Cross Country. He is bidding to win the race for the third time in as many years next month.
Boyne Hurdle likely to be his reappearance race
The 2018/19 campaign began in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan for Tiger Roll where he caused a big upset, scoring at odds of 25/1. That Grade Two contest was used to help the horse shake off the cobwebs but he actually was able to get the better of the talented hurdlers Bachasson and Off You Go.
Tiger Roll is once again likely to feature in the Boyne Hurdle, pitting himself against some of the highest-rated hurdlers in National Hunt racing.
Elliott revealed earlier this month that his horse has done his first full work out following some setbacks this season.
Given what he has achieved, Tiger Roll has become a household name up and down the country and a third National success will elevate him onto the status that the great Red Rum received in the 1970s.