The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
ELLIOTT ON A ROLL
Irish trainer celebrates A in tree win in rapturous home coming
Trainer Gordon Elliott and Tiger Roll soaked up the plaudits as the Randox Health Grand National heroes were treated to a rapturous welcome in the village of Summerhill in County Meath yesterday.
Eight-year-old Tiger Roll added the world’s greatest steeplechase to his CV when hanging on in a dramatic finish to emerge victorious by a head from the strong-finishing Pleasant Company, trained by Willie Mullins.
In doing so he gave Elliott a second win in the Aintree spectacular, after Silver Birch in 2007, and was adding to his three triumphs at the Cheltenham Festival.
A native of Summerhill, Elliott’s pride and joy paraded down the main street surrounded by a couple of hundred people, in company with stablemates Bless The Wings, who was third, and General Principle, who landed the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday.
Elliott said: “It’s unbelievable and it’s only sinking in now, when at home seeing all my family, friends and the crowd here at Summerhill. It’s some buzz and it’ll be a long night.”
Looking back on the race itself, he said of the Davy Russell-ridden winner: “Two hundred yards out I thought we were home and hosed. In fairness, he’s only a small horse and in the last 50 or 100 yards he just hit a brick wall.
“Thankfully, the line came in time. I wasn’t sure he had won. When you aren’t sure of the angles, you are always nervous.
“If it was in Ireland I could tell you the angles of every track. It was just a feeling of relief. It’s great.”
He added: “He’s been a super little horse to win at three Cheltenham Festivals and then come back and win the National. I’m very proud of him.
“He’s a bit like a tiger at home. He can be in very good form or very bad, but he’s a great horse.”