THE prospect of Tiger Roll lining up for an historic three-in-a-row bid in the Randox Health Grand National was given go-ahead by his connections yesterday after initially saying he was only “50-50” to line up after the weights for the 2020 race were revealed in Liverpool on Tuesday.

The dual winner was given joint top-weight of 11st 10lbs along with his stable companion and Gold Cup candidate Delta Work. He has been compressed by 1lb from his official rating of 171 but connections were initally hesitant in letting the 10-year-old take his chance.

Speaking on Sky Sports Racing after the weights were announced, Eddie O’Leary said: “We’ve said the whole way through this horse is on a very unfair rating. He was raised 12lbs last year for winning a cross-country race. He was rated the far superior horse in the cross-country race, so why a 12lb rise in the weights?

“The last time this horse ran in a (regulation) chase was two and a half years ago and he pulled up off 150. He’s obviously improved for the Grand National discipline and cross-country, but to rate this horse as a winner of a Gold Cup is ridiculous.”

Grand National winning trainers Gordon Elliott and Nigel Twiston-Davies at St Georges Hall for the 2020 Randox Health Grand National weights\ Healy Racing.

However, in a comment to the Racing Post yesterday, O’Leary said: “We all had a sit down on Thursday night to discuss everything and we have decided that Tiger Roll will definitely run in the Grand National provided everything goes okay on his return to action at Navan on Sunday, and in the cross country at Cheltenham next month.”

O’Leary had no problem with Tiger Roll being allotted joint top-weight but he had felt it was unfair to concede weight to a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in Native River.

“Tiger Roll is a very, very special horse – but is he a Gold Cup horse? A genius like Gordon Elliott has never even considered entering him in the Gold Cup.

“Native River – a Gold Cup winner – hacked up last Saturday. He’s been compressed 2lbs and we have to give him 4lbs. I see something very unfair there.”

“We obviously would love to see Tiger Roll to go for three in a row, but we’re very vocal about the fact that it (handicap) has to be compressed. It’s only been compressed 1lb, which is a bit silly.

Top-weights do not have a great record of getting in the placings in recent years with Many Clouds carrying 11st 9lbs to victory in 2015 and Don’t Push It carried top-weight of 11st 10lbs into third behind Ballabriggs in 2011.

A total of 103 entries have been made for the April 4th spectacular with 43 of them trained in Ireland and two French entries.

Last year’s last horse to get into the race was Joe Farrell who carried 10st 2lb off a mark of 142 so there are a few well touted runners not sure of a run including Le Breuil on 145, Mall Dini on 143, Paddy Power Chase winner Roaring Bull on 142 and Missed Approach on 141.

Tiger Roll and Davy Russell jump the last to win the Randox Aintree Grand National.

What the trainers said

Gordon Elliott

Alpha Des Obeaux (10st 13lb), The Storyteller (10st 12lb), Jury Duty (10st 8lb), Borice (10st), Champagne Classic (10st 6lb) Dounikos (10st 5lb)

“A blind man would know he’s [Tiger Roll] going to carry 11st 10lb. We were obviously hoping for a pound or two less, but Martin [Greenwood, BHA chase handicapper] and his team have a job to do.

“We’re 4lbs worse off with Magic Of Light, who was second in the race last year, so it’s probably fair play – I’ll not be giving out. Everyone has got their own opinion. If it’s left to me he’ll run. He’s a household name and it’s the most famous race in the world. The plan is to run at the weekend and we’ll work back from there.

“The cut off to qualify for the Grand National is March 16th, so if Tiger Roll doesn’t run at Cheltenham, it will be a disaster as he won’t be qualified. There is a maybe a race in Down Royal the same week that he could be entered for, but all being well it will be Cheltenham.

“I’d be looking forward to running Alpha Des Obeaux, The Storyteller has a nice weight and Jury Duty could run well if he got some dry ground.

“There’s Borice and Champagne Classic and Dounikos. We have numerous other horses in the race and I think we’ll run about half a dozen, but Tiger is the main one.”

Joe Tizzard

Native River (11st 6lb)

“We have not tried to hide the fact that myself and Dad are keen to run Native River in the Grand National. But it is not just down to us and we have to have 100% support from Garth Broom and Brocade Racing, who are coming around to the idea.

“To be honest, it is all about the Gold Cup with him. With the blinkers back on this season, he has looked very good and he deserves to take his chance in the Gold Cup again, and then we will take stock after that.

“If he was mine right now, I would perhaps skip Cheltenham and go straight to Aintree, but fair play to the owners, they own the horse and he has every right to line up in the Gold Cup.

“He is an old-fashioned horse and old fashion rules say that the Gold Cup is a good prep for the Grand National.

“Elegant Escape (11st 2lb) has been placed in two Ladbrokes Trophys and has won a Welsh National. He probably hasn’t got the class for a Gold Cup. If he got into a good rhythm, he stays really well. I actually think his Welsh National run this year was not his true running as he faded from four out.”

Jessica Harrington

Magic Of Light (10st 12lb)

Jett (10st 13lb)

“It was an unbelievable run last year. Magic Of Light was only an eight-year-old, but she took to it like a duck to water. She jumped from fence to fence and, despite making a couple of bad mistakes, she ran totally to the line and stayed brilliantly.

“She was meant to run at Exeter last Sunday when the meeting was abandoned. She has an entry at Navan on Sunday and Punchestown next Wednesday. She may go to Cheltenham as well. She loves running so we will keep doing that. She travels very well and thrives on her races. She was our first runner in the race and it would be exciting to see if she can go one better.”

“Jett is a super jumper. He has been running in Grade 1 races as there is nowhere for him to go. However, he loves jumping and stays very well. If he takes to the fences, which is always a big question, I think he will run a very big race.”

Willie Mullins

Total Recall (10st 13lb), Burrows Saint (10st 10lb), Voix Du Reve (10st 12lb), Pleasant Company (10st 7lb), Acapella Bourgeois (10st 6lb), Chef Des Obeaux, (10st 3lb), Class Conti (10st 3lb), Cabaret Queen (9st 13lb)

“Burrows Saint has been very progressive, and his Irish Grand National form has a strong look to it. Pleasant Company has obviously run very well in the race before when second to Tiger Roll in 2018. He was travelling very well in it last year too before he came down (four out). Age is probably not going to be on his chance, but he has been given a fair mark and we have been given a chance.

“Total Recall returned to form nicely when winning the Thyestes Chase, which can be a good trial for this race. He is not a super jumper but he gets from A to B. Crucially, he is horse who is going to keep improving stepped up in trip.

Tom Lacey

Kimberlite Candy (10st 4lb).

“It was great to see Kimberlite Candy back up his good run in the Becher, as that is something we have not seen from him. He has just come right this year and is very much a different proposition. He is a full of confidence and in great nick.

“We backed off him after the Classic Chase, but he did not miss a day. He just tipped away around the farm doing light canters. He has just started to do a little bit more now, but we will be in no rush. 10st 4lb is a lovely racing weight. It would be incredible to win the Grand National, as we are a relatively small yard.”

Paul Nicholls

Yala Enki (10st 11lb)

Give Me A Copper (10st 1lb)

“I have six entered and I would imagine we will run three of four if they all get there. It is just nice to have some nice entries – Yala Enki and Give Me A Copper are probably the best two.

“Yala Enki has nice weight on 10st 11lb. He ran very well in the Welsh National and then won at Taunton recently. He is very much like a Neptune Collonges. I suspect Bryony [Frost] will end up riding him, so that will be a good story as you can imagine. Give Me A Copper goes well fresh. He won the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton earlier in the season. He will probably go straight to Aintree, and 10st 1lb looks a lovely racing weight.”

Christian Williams

Potters Corner (10st 6lb)

“Potters Corner backs up his runs quite well so we will keep the same pattern. Before he won the Welsh National, he had run three weeks beforehand so he doesn’t need a big gap between his races. Looking at the weights and the entries, he doesn’t however necessarily have to go to France and we’ll see nearer the time.

“As to whether Jack [Tudor] rides, it is a tricky one really. Jack firstly needs to have three more winners over fences between now and then before we can even decide if he can ride him. We will see if Jack can ride the winners and we will see what is best and who is available at the time of the race.”

Katie Walsh

Any Second Now (10st 6lb)

“We are really looking forward to running him. He ran well at Leopardstown last time out and he is also a Kim Muir winner. He stays and jumps very well and hopefully for Dad and for the yard, he could run a big race.”

Lucinda Russell

One For Arthur (10st 2lb)

“I’m pleased – 10st 2lb is a lovely weight. If the weights go up a bit that will be fine, and if they don’t that would be even better. He’s 6lbs lower than he was last year (finished sixth) and he’s on the same mark as when he won the National three years ago.

“I think he’s in better form than he was this time last year, certainly we’re a lot more relaxed. I think he might even be in better form than he was the year he won the National. We’d like to get a run in (at Haydock on Saturday), but we’ll have to see what the weather does – good old February!”

Nigel Twiston-Davies

Bristol De Mai (11st 8lb), Ballyoptic (10st 11lb), Crievehill (10st 8lb), Cogry (9st 12lb), Flying Angel (9st 12lb), The Hollow Ginge (9st 12lb), Townshend (9st 10lb)

“Bristol De Mai will head for the Gold Cup and then we’ll see what happens. All the others will run if they get in, but with Bristol we just need to wait and see. If he wins the Gold Cup then he won’t run in the National. He’s only young still, so he might go next year.

“Ballyoptic will definitely run in the National – he was still going well when he fell last year.

“Crievehill will head to Kempton for the old Racing Post Chase, that’s been a decent National trial in the past. I’m pleased with him. Cogry has been running brilliantly all season, he needs the (National) distance – he’ll love it. The Hollow Ginge won the other day and is a good jumper, Flying Angel has been round there before, too. Townshend is also back to form now.”

Robert Walford

Walk In The Mill (10st 4lb)

“I’m very happy with the weight he’s got and the horse seems in great form. You won’t see him again before Aintree. We’ve just got to try to keep him in one piece between now and then. In an ideal world we’d like soft ground, but that’s probably unlikely as the ground dries out so quick there. You never know, I suppose. Proper soft ground would be ideal.”