When Tiger Roll romped home to win the Grand National earlier this year, it solidified an epic seasonal campaign for trainer Gordon Elliott. Not only did he have a superb Cheltenham Festival but he also won the Irish Grand National. What he did not do, however, was win the Irish Trainers Championship. That went, once again, to Willie Mullins.
But with a new season comes new prospects and potential wins so plans are already underway to send Tiger Roll back on the same route that proved so successful for him last time around. The Grand National winner looks poised to bid for the same spring double after Elliott confirmed his latest chasing star is back in training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V83Jm_gdC8
Speaking to the Racing Post Elliott said: “Tiger Roll is back in training and, while there are no definite plans yet, we’ll probably run him in some cross-country races, like we did last season, before heading back to Aintree.”
As of yet, there are no race entries penned in for Tiger Roll but, based on last season, it’s likely that he’ll get going in October before possibly heading to Cheltenham in December.
And it looks like he’ll be in good company with General Principal also in with a shout of taking on the Aintree fences for the the 2019 Grand National with Elliott saying: “We haven’t made a plan for General Principle but I’d say there’s a good chance Aintree might be on the agenda for him this season”
General Principle was the Irish Grand National 2018 winner and is also owned Gigginstown House Stud. He may be able to do the business for Elliott but one thing is for sure, Elliott needs to increase his win rate if he is to have any chance of catching Willie Mullins this season.
Mullins is currently on a win rate of 29% to Elliott’s 13%. And even though Mullins has sent out fewer runners so far this season, he has earned twice as much so far and has already crossed the €1m mark – and the season has barely started! Odds o him winning the Irish Trainers Championship again are as short as 1/8 ON with Betfair.
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