WITH Bristol De Mai’s scratching from next Saturday’s Grand National, Tiger Roll’s bid to be the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to post back-to-back victories has become more challenging with the weights now raised a further 4lb.

Tiger Roll is set to carry 11st 5lb on Saturday as opposed to the 10st 13lb he won under last year. Nevertheless, there is a sustained gamble on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned, Gordon Elliott-trained horse to repeat his win and he comes into the Aintree showstopper after tanking round Cheltenham to win this year’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase by 22 lengths for the second year running.

Yesterday he was no bigger than 4/1 and 7/2 with most bookmakers to defy doubters yet again. Gold Cup runner-up to Al Boum Photo, Anibale Fly is expected to shoulder top weight at 11st 10lb and the J.P. McManus-owned gelding is a general 10/1 shot. His trainer Tony Martin is reported to be “happy with him” as he came out of the Gold Cup very well. He was a creditable fourth in the Grand National last year having been very badly hampered at the first fence.

Another Irish-trained horse, Rathvinden, from Willie Mullins’ Closutton yard, is third favourite at around 12/1. Also successful in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham (last year), he ran out an impressive winner of the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February.

It would go some way to compensate Philip Reynolds and Pat Kelly for the disappointment of Presenting Percy’s run in the Gold Cup if Mall Dini could do the business in the Grand National. He is a maiden over fences, but so was Rule The World before he won the Grand National in 2016.

Pleasant Company returns again after just going down by a head to Tiger Roll last year, to give Willie Mullins a sensational chasing double.

Further down the field, Pairofbrowneyes, another Willie Mullins likely starter, is officially the best handicapped runner in the field according to BHA chase handicapper Martin Greenwood. The 10-year-old is due to go up 10lb after his impressive Leinster National win, his second win in that race.

Ground conditions forecast are Grand National: good to soft, good in places, Mildmay and Hurdle: good, good to soft in places, watering is taking place on all courses. The forecast is mainly dry for next week, just some possible drizzle on Friday.