Gordon Elliott-trained Tiger Roll has been given 11st 10lb alongside Gigginstown stablemate Delta Work in the 2020 Randox Health Grand National.
The ten-year-old hasn’t been run since the 2019 Grand National and owner Michael O’Leary has hinted that he might not make an appearance at the 2020 renewal if he believes that the BHA handicapper is considered to have treated the horse unfairly. Many believe that the O’Leary’s won’t be turning down the opportunity to make history however and all eyes will be on his performance at the Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.
Next horse in the weights is Bristol De Mai with 11st 8lb, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. Other leading contenders include JP McManus’s Kimberlite Candy (10st 4lb) – winner of Warwick’s Classic Chase – and Willie Mullins-trained Burrows Saint (10st 10lb) – winner of the Irish National.
Official handicapper Martin Greenwood said: “I have made Tiger Roll and Delta Work joint top-weights for the Randox Health Grand National.
“This decision was made essentially on two factors – historical compression which was brought in by (Liverpool-born) Phil Smith and has been used for the last 10 years or so. On the other hand, I have to give Tiger Roll this mark based on his efforts over the national fences at Aintree where he is of course unbeaten.
“Tiger Roll was rated 172 at the end of last year and obviously there is no recent evidence to go on because of his fitness issues, so his handicap mark has been unquantifiable since. He is therefore coming down 2lb and carries the same weight as Suny Bay did when he was second in the 1998 Grand National. No other horse has carried that rating since. Many Clouds won off 11st 9lb, but he did not have as high a rating.
“It must be remembered that Tiger Roll ran in the race off a rating of 159 but was actually rated 167 at the time due to his win in the Cross Country at Cheltenham.
“Tiger Roll has also not yet qualified for this year’s Grand National. Whilst he may run in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan (Sunday, 14 February), he still has to run in a chase to qualify. There are about 15 horses overall who currently do not qualify because they have either not run over fences this season or not yet finished in the first four in a race over 23 and a half furlongs in their career. A high-profile example would be Cadmium, a Topham Chase winner.
“Delta Work is a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup contender and, in order to keep as many of the horses in the handicap, he is also off 170. Other horses towards the top include Bristol de Mai and Native River. Bristol de Mai was rated 173 when entered last year and that figure has been downgraded since to 168. I have dropped Native River 2lb to 166 as Bristol De Mai has finished in front of him the last couple of times they have met, and I thought he was workmanlike when winning at Newbury on Saturday.
“This year, 73% of the horses entered are in the handicap. Similarly, from a starting rating of 140, there are more horses than ever in the modern era entered for the race – 92 in total.
“The race is full of top-class individuals and boasts the winners of races such as the Grand National, Irish National, Welsh National, Rowland Meyrick Chase, Cheltenham Gold Cup and much more. It is as good a staying handicap as would be run anywhere.
“You could argue that it is the highest quality Grand National in modern history.”
2020 Randox Health Grand National Weights
The list is in order: horse, age, weight, owner, trainer
Delta Work (FR) 7 11-10 170 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliot IRE
Tiger Roll (IRE) 10 11-10 170 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliot IRE
Bristol de Mai (FR) 10 11-10 170 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Nigel Twiston-Davies
Native River (IRE) 10 11-06 166 Brocade Racing, Colin Tizzard
Anibale Fly (FR) 10 11-02 162 JP McManus, Tony Martin IRE
Aso (FR) 10 11-02 162 The Bellamy Partnership, Venetia Williams
Cadmium (FR) 8 11-02 162 In Our Element Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
Elegant Escape (IRE) 8 11-02 162 JP Romans, Colin Tizzard
Top Ville Ben (IRE) 11-02 162 Harbour Rose Partnership, Philip Kirby
Beware The Bear (IRE) 10 11-00 160 GB Barlow, Nicky Henderson
Chris’s Dream (IRE) 8 11-00 160 Robcour, Henry de Bromhead IRE
Alpha des Obeaux (FR) 10-13 159 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliot IRE
Jett (IRE) 9 10-13 159 GM McGrath, Jessica Harrington IRE
Peregrine Run (IRE) 10 10-13 159 V Byrne, Peter Fahey IRE
Total Recall (IRE) 11 10-13 159 Slaneyville Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
Magic of Light (IRE) 9 10-12 158 Ann & Alan Potts Limited, Jessica Harrington IRE
The Storyteller (IRE) 9 10-12 158 Mrs Pat Sloan, Gordon Elliott IRE
Voix du Reve (FR) 8 10-12 158 Andrea & Graham Wylie, Willie Mullins IRE
Ballyoptic (IRE) 10 10-11 157 Mills & Mason Partnership, Nigel Twiston-Davies
Talkischeap (IRE) 8 10-11 157 Charles Dingwall, Alan King
Yala Enki (FR) 10 10-11 157 Hills of Ledbury Ltd, Paul Nicholls
Burrows Saint (FR) 7 10-10 156 Susannah Ricci, Willie Mullins IRE
Definitly Red (IRE) 11 10-10 156 Phil & Julie Martin, Brian Ellison
Ok Corral (IRE) 10 10-09 155 JP McManus, Nicky Henderson
Sub Lieutenant (IRE) 11 10-09 155 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliot IRE
Tour Est Permis (FR) 7 10-09 155 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliot IRE
Crievehill (IRE) 8 10-08 154 Highclere T’Bred Racing- Crievehill, Nigel Twiston-Davies
Jury Duty (IRE) 9 10-08 154 Sideways Syndicate, Gordon Elliot IRE
Lake View Lad (IRE) 10 10-08 154 Trevor Hemmings, Nick Alexander
Vintage Clouds (IRE) 10 10-08 154 Trevor Hemmings, Sue Smith
Pleasant Company (IRE) 12 10-07 153 Malcolm Denmark, Willie Mullins IRE
Acapella Bourgeois (FR) 10 10-06 152 Slaneyville Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
Any Second Now (IRE) 8 10-06 152 J P McManus, Ted Walsh IRE
Champagne Classic (IRE) 8 10.06 152 Gigginstown House Stude, Gordon Elliott IRE
Mister Whitaker (IRE) 9 10-06 152 Tim Radford, Mick Channon
Potters Corner (IRE) 10 10-06 152 All Stars Sports Racing & J Davies, Christian Williams
Shattered Love (IRE) 9 10-06 152 Gigginstown House Stude, Gordon Elliott IRE
Death Duty (IRE) 9 10-05 151 Gigginstown House Stude, Gordon Elliott IRE
Dounikos (FR) 9 10-05 151 Gigginstown House Stude, Gordon Elliott IRE
Kildisart (IRE) 8 10-05 151 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Ben Pauling
Ramses de Teillee (FR) 8 10-05 151 John White & Anne Underhill, David Pipe
Acting Lass (IRE) 9 10-04 150 Nigel & Barbara Collinson, Harry Fry
Double Shuffle (IRE) 10 10-04 150 Crossed Fingers Partnership, Tom George
Kimberlite Candy (IRE) 8 10-04 150 J P McManus, Tom Lacey
Saint Xavier (FR) 8 10-04 150 David Maxwell Racing Limited, Paul Nicholls
Valtor (FR) 11 10-04 150 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Nicky Henderson
Walk in the Mill (FR) 10 10-04 150 Baroness Harding, Robert Walford
Warriors Tale 11 10-04 150 Trevor Hemmings, Paul Nicholls
Chef des Obeaux (FR) 8 10-03 149 Sullivan Bloodstockj Limited, Willie Mullins IRE
Class Conti (FR) 8 10-03 149 P Joubert, Willie Mullins IRE
Traffic Fluide (FR) 10 10-03 149 Galloping on the South Downs, Gary Moore
One For Arthur (IRE) 11 10-02 148 Two Gold Widows, Lucinda Russell
Romain de Senam (FR) 8 10-02 148 Chris Giles & Dan Macdonald, Paul Nicholls
Snugsborough Benny (IRE) 10 10-02 148 R Loughnane, Liam Cusack IRE
Dallas des Pictons (FR) 7 10-01 147 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
Give me Copper (IRE) 10 10-01 147 Done, Ferguson, Mason, Nicholls & Wood, Paul Nicholls
Lord du Mesnil (FR) 7 10-01 147 Paul Porter, Richard Hobson
Now McGinty (IRE) 9 10-01 147 The Garratt Family, Stuart Edmunds
Poker Party (FR) 8 10-01 147 Robcour, Henry de Bromhead IRE
Steely Addition (IRE) 8 10-01 147 Step By Step, Philip Hobbs
Takingrisks (IRE) 11 10-01 147 Frank Bird, Nicky Richards
Borice (FR) 9 10-00 146 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede, Gordon Elliott IRE
Heron Heights (IRE) 11 10-00 146 Barry Maloney, Henry de Bromhead IRE
Hogan’s Height (IRE) 9 10-00 146 Foxtrot Racing: Hogan’s Height, Jamie Snowden
Regal Encore (IRE) 12 10-00 146 J P McManus, Anthony Honeyball
Activial (FR) 10 9-13 145 Roger Brookhouse, Tom George
Atlanta Ablaze 9 9-13 145 The Last Man Standing, Henry Daly
Cabaret Queen 8 9-13 145 SyndicatesRacing, Willie Mullins IRE
Dalko Moriviere (FR) 7 9-13 145 Ecurie Sagara, Jerome Larrigade FR
Dragon d’Estruval (FR) 7 9-13 145 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Nicky Henderson
Le Breuil (FR) 8 9-13 145 Mrs Emma Palmer, Ben Pauling
Outlander (IRE) 12 9-13 145 GOWING’S ELEVEN, Richard Spencer
A Toi Phil (FR) 10 9-12 144 Teme Valley 2, Gary Moore
Cogry 11 9-12 144 Graham and Alison Jelley, Nigel Twiston-Davies
Dingo Dollar (IRE) 8 9-12 144 M Warren J Holmes R Kidner & J Wright, Alan King
The Hollow Ginge (IRE) 7 9-12 144 The Ginge Army, Nigel Twiston-Davies
The Young Master 11 9-12 144 Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters, Neil Mulholland
Mall Dini (IRE) 10 9-11 143 Philip J Reynolds, Patrick Kelly IRE
Monbeg Notorious (IRE) 9 9-11 143 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
As de Mee (FR) 10 9-10 142 The Stewart Family & Judi Dench, Paul Nicholls
Fitzhenry (IRE) 8 9-10 142 J P McManus, Paul Nolan IRE
Joe Farrell (IRE) 11 9-10 142 M Sherwood, N Morris & J Turner, Rebecca Curtis
Ravenhill (IRE) 10 9-10 142 Try Ravenhill Syndicate, Gordon Elliott IRE
Roaring Bull (IRE) 7 9-10 142 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
Townshend (GER) 9 9-10 142 J D Neild, Nigel Twiston-Davies
Vieux Lion Rouge (FR) 11 9-10 142 Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent, David Pipe
Ami Desbois (FR) 10 9-09 141 The Reserved Judgement Partnership, Graeme McPherson
Missed Approach (IRE) 10 9-09 141 Alan & Andrew Turner, Warren Greatrex
Moonshine Bay (IRE) 7 9-08 140 Ann & Alan Potts Limited, Jessica Harrington IRE
Noble Endeavor (IRE) 11 9-08 140 Chris Jones, Gordon Elliott IRE
Out Sam 11 9-08 140 D Charlesworth, Gordon Elliott IRE
Fingerontheswitch (IRE) 10 9-07 139 Cahill, Atwell & Crofts, Neil Mulholland
Singlefarmpayment 10 9-07 139 N T Griffith & H M Haddock, Tom George
Kilfilum Cross (IRE) 9 9-06 138 Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons, Henry Oliver
Soupy Soups (IRE) 9 9-06 138 Equi ex Incertis Partners, Neil Mulholland
General Principle (IRE) 11 9-05 137 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
Spider Web (IRE) 9 9-05 137 J P McManus, Tom Mullins IRE
Princeton Royale (IRE) 11 9-03 135 D Nott, P Beadles, R Clarke, Neil King
Scoir Mear (IRE) 10 8-12 130 J P McManus, Tom Mullins IRE
Rathlin Rose (IRE) 12 8-10 128 Fergus Wilson, David Pipe
Disco d’Authie (FR) 11 8-07 125 Mme Magalen Bryant, David Cottin FR
Prince of Scars (IRE) 10 8-07 125 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede, Gordon Elliott IRE
