IT was a big week for Tiger Roll and it's mostly been positive signs. There was initial concern when Eddie O'Leary maintained the party line that it was uncertain if Tiger Roll would run in this year's Grand National but that was put to bed on Friday. And yesterday, the Tiger returned.

Even though he only finished fifth in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan, there was a real air of positivity around his performance

Firstly, it was a great thing that he even got there. The injury he sustained back in October threatened to derail his whole season but Elliott’s Cullentra team nursed him back to get him ready in time for an all-important pre-Cheltenham run.

Held up mostly in second last position, off what looked a steady pace, the 10-year-old seemed to travel nicely for Keith Donoghue for most of the two-mile, five-furlong contest. Coming out of the back straight he was able to edge closer to the leaders alongside the Willie Mullins-trained duo of Penhill and Bachasson and, early in the straight - and even as late as the second last, which he jumped in a share of second place - it looked like he might even win.

Donoghue said after the race that he just “blew up” from here and that is perfectly understandable on his first run back from his Aintree heroics last season, all of 316 days ago, to be exact.

There is also a positive precedent with regard to the son of Authorized’s first run of the season. Last year, when he was trained specifically for Cheltenham and the Grand National, like he has been this year, he was beaten in the Cross Country Chase at the November meeting at Cheltenham, finishing fourth to Josies Orders, before leaving that form well behind him in truly spectacular fashion on his next three starts.

You could look at it more pessimistically and say he isn’t near the same level he was at this exact stage last season, but Elliott has played the hand he has been dealt and you’d have to be confident he’ll have Tiger Roll firing on all cylinders for Cheltenham now, with this run in the bank.

That said, the Cross Country Chase for Tiger Roll is even more significant this year. It’s significant because, for one, it qualifies him to run in the Grand National and, two, it should give us a much clearer indication as to where the 2019/'20 season Tiger Roll is at.

The Cross Country has always been important to him. Eddie O’Leary said Tiger Roll was a busted flush before running in the race in 2016/'17 season. The race has also proven to be a very good guide to the National for other horses, most notably Cause Of Causes and Balthazar King, who both won over the banks at Cheltenham before running huge races at Aintree. Elliott also saddled Silver Birch to finish second in the Cross Country prior to winning the 2007 National. For that reason it’s strange that none of the other fancied horses in the Cross Country have taken up a National entry. Perhaps the race continues to be underestimated as a National trial.

It’s also worth noting that the Cross Country has provided a platform for Tiger Roll to elevate his rating in each of the last two seasons, which has led to him racing off advantageous terms at Aintree, strictly speaking.

In 2017, Tiger Roll was 2lb well in for his first Grand National after defeating Urgent De Gregaine, and pulling clear of two solid yardsticks in The Last Samurai and Auvergnat. Last year, after a 22-length win over the banks, Tiger Roll was 8lb well in for his double bid at Aintree.

This year it will be very difficult to envisage a situation where he will race off such advantageous terms, considering he has a rating of 171, so would probably need to win the Cross Country by half of the course were he to impress the handicapper enough to elevate his official rating above his National rating.

That means that, for the first time in three years, Tiger Roll’s rivals have a much fairer fight on their hands, especially considering he has top weight to shoulder as well.

The main hope is that Tiger Roll wins or runs well enough at Cheltenham so that he arrives at Aintree as favourite. The publicity machine, which began not long after he passed the post for his second National last season, is gathering significant pace now and such an occasion can only be positive for racing.