Cheltenham hero Tiger Roll stands ground for National
● Defending champ heads list of hopefuls
Last year’s winner Tiger Roll heads 81 hopefuls standing their ground for the Randox Health Grand National following the latest acceptance stage.
Gordon Elliott’s remarkable nine-year-old shortened as favourite for the Aintree spectacular on April 6 after taking the Glenfarclas Country Chase for the second year running at Cheltenham last week.
Tiger Roll is currently set to carry 11st 1lb, just 2lb more than last year as he bids to become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to win backto-back Nationals.
Pleasant Company, who was only beaten a head by Tiger Roll last spring, is one of seven left in by Willie Mullins, who has a team that also includes Rathvinden and Pairofbrowneyes.
The top two in the handicap, Bristol De Mai and Anibale Fly, remain on course after finishing third and second respectively in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
David Pipe, who saddled Comply Or Die to Grand National glory in 2008, is triple-handed with Ramses De Teillee, Daklondike and Vieux Lion Rouge.
“All three of them would prefer the ground on the softer side,” he said.
“Vieux Lion Rouge and Ramses will run, all being well, but I’m not sure about Daklondike. He’s talented but quirky and he would need it soft, whereas the other two would be fine on good to soft.
“We were not sure if he (Ramses) was going to get the trip in the Welsh National, but he got it well and he ran very well at Haydock.
“While he’s only seven, he’s been to the Festival, the Welsh National and the Grand National Trial and doesn’t seem to be fazed by anything.
“I don’t know if he’ll get the Grand National trip, but you can say that about a lot of horses.
“He’s not schooled over the National fences yet, we’ll school him next week over them, along with Vieux Lion Rouge.”
He went on: “Vieux Lion Rouge disappointed us last time, but we’ve since treated him for ulcers and he now seems to be in good form.
“He seems to light up for the occasion in the National – he seems to lap up the atmosphere. For some it’s a negative, but it’s definitely not a negative for Vieux Lion Rouge.”
Elegant Escape was the most notable of 16 withdrawals. The Welsh Grand National winner, trained by Colin Tizzard, was sixth in the Gold Cup.
Tizzard has also taken out
Royal Vacation, leaving dual Topham Chase winner Ultragold as the stable’s only representative.
Other horses removed from the race were Edwulf, Black Corton, American, Traffic Fluide, Sizing Codelco, Total Recall, Master Dee, The Last Samuri, Some Neck, Give Me A Copper, Willie Boy, Ballyhill, Ballydine and Back To The Thatch.
Woods Well, Ned Stark and Van Gogh Du Granit are also out as they are not qualified to run.
The next acceptance stage is five days before the race, on 1 April.