THIS season is the first phase in the gradual winding down of Gigginstown House Stud as a powerful ownership vehicle in Irish racing and in essence, you won’t see much of a difference to the norm of the last decade or so. The famous maroon silks will be carried by another formidable team, already packed full of Grade 1 winners.

That includes Tiger Roll, whose only top level victory came way back in the 2014 Triumph Hurdle but who has achieved so much since. The diminutive dynamo is on the cusp of racing history with the real possibility that he will be sent off as favourite to win a third Grand National in what could potentially be the racing story of a lifetime. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before that, including an all important move by the British Handicapping team, whose decision on what mark to give the nine-year-old next year will be the most significant factor in whether Tiger Roll heads for Merseyside.