TIGER IS ROLLED OVER BUT AINTREE TILT’S ON TRACK
HOPES of a third Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase win for Tiger Roll were dashed yesterday, but not the dream of landing an historic third consecutive Grand National next month. Tiger Roll would probably top a poll of the most popular horses in training, thanks to his wins at Aintree in 2018 and 2019. But yesterday at Cheltenham, ridden by Keith Donoghue, the 10-year-old gelding was unable to peg back Easysland, who pulled 17 lengths clear by the winning post. Bookmakers Paddy Power pushed Tiger Roll’s Grand National odds out to 8-1 from 5-1, but the horse’s trainer Gordon Elliott was unperturbed. He had warned the heavy ground on the Cross Country track would not suit his horse, who was running at his sixth Festival. Elliott took solace from the fact that, at the end of a three-mile six-furlong slog through the mud, Tiger Roll was a further 18 lengths ahead of the third-placed runner,
Out Sam. ‘It’s always disappointing when you don’t win but overall we are happy,’ said Elliott. ‘We knew the ground was a big worry and as long as he is all right in the morning, that is all we want. ‘Keith (Donoghue) said he was never happy on him. He got bogged down. If you go through his whole career, he is a horse who needs good ground.’ Tiger Roll has had an interrupted season. There was an operation to remove a bone chip from a joint and he did not make his seasonal debut until finishing fifth in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last month. Elliott added: ‘He got held up and had to stand in his box for the month of December. ‘That’s never ideal, but as long as he is okay tomorrow, that is all I care about.’ Tiger Roll’s owner, Michael O’Leary, missed the race because he was busy with coronavirus planning at his Ryanair airline. How the virus will affect the Grand National and his gelding’s bid to make history will emerge in the coming days. Easysland, ridden by French jockey Jonathan Plouganou, was bought by owner JP McManus after he won over the course in December. In contrast to Tiger Roll, Easysland relished the testing ground. Elliott said he felt more pressure before Envoi Allen justified his 4-7 odds to maintain his unbeaten record and beat stablemate Easywork by four-and-a-quarter lengths in the day’s opening race, the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. It confirmed Envoi Allen’s reputation as the most exciting young horse around. The trainer said: ‘He did everything he had to do. He was our big runner of the week, so there was pressure.’ Elliott also won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with Mark Walsh-ridden Aramax, while the Cheveley Park Stud, owners of Envoi Allen, had a second winner when Ferny Hollow, trained by Willie Mullins, won the Champion Bumper.