No, the Grand National Won’t Be Worse Off Without Tiger Roll

Just when you thought Tiger Roll would finally get his chance at glory, a dispute between his Gigginstown owners and the BHA’s handicapper means the two-time winner won’t line up for a record-equalling crack at three wins on the bounce.  

After Tiger Roll’s dominant victory in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham, destroying ante-post favourite Easysland comprehensively, it’s tempting to assume one of Liverpool’s biggest events of the year could be worse off. In reality, while the anticipation would be incredible if his connections could squash the beef, it’s pretty obvious that this year’s renewal of the race will be special without the reigning champion.  

A Tighter Field  

When you lose the main competitor from any sporting event, you’re bound to think that the quality is lower. That could be the case since Tiger Roll is a proven winner and the others don’t appear to be at the same pedigree. However, losing the favourite does add to the excitement because the race is more unpredictable.  

Without last year’s victor, it’s down to the likes of Cloth Cap at 7/2 to prove that they can repay the punter’s faith. Of course, the Grand National betting 2021 indicates that the field is much more open in 2021 than in recent editions of the iconic event, with Any Second Now and Secret Reprieve not far back at 10/1. Next come Minella Times, Burrows Saint and Kimberlite Candy at 12/1.  

Several of the Grand National 2021 betting tips aren’t even focusing on the horses at the top of the betting – The Storyteller is well-liked at 20/1 - which means the Grand National is wide open for the first time in years. If anything, that makes the drama stronger.  

Ireland Vs Britain Round 2  

If you were keeping score at Cheltenham, you should have stopped counting after the first day! The Irish mounts comprehensively beat the English contingent in the greatest show on the National Hunt calendar. Thankfully, Aintree Racecourse doesn’t appear as if it will host another trouncing.  

Nobody likes to see legendary horses denied at a shot at immortality because of politics, so most people are annoyed Tiger Roll won’t make it to Merseyside. Still, it opens the door for the British trainers and jockeys to restore respectability after March’s clinic in Gloucestershire.   

Native River is at the top of the pile after finishing fourth in the 2021 Gold Cup behind three world-class horses. Colin Tizzard’s evergreen stablemate will spearhead the yard’s challenge, as will Bristol De Mai for Nigel Twiston-Davies. At 20/1, the latter is expected to run a fine race for the Brits.  

Horse Racing Institution 

Some sporting events are bigger than the competitors that take part, and the National falls into that category. The fact it has been around for just shy of 200 years is a testament to the grip it has on the British public.  

But it’s the figures it continues to pull in centuries after its inauguration that make it relevant to this day. Horse racing’s most famous event is watched by 500 million people in more than 140 countries every year. It's a historical institution that has stood the test of time, will do whether Tiger Roll runs or doesn’t run. After all, it’s the National that makes horses immortal, not the other way around.  

With a closer gap between runners, a second dose of Ireland vs the UK and the usual tradition surrounding the Grand National, there’s no way it will be any worse off on April 10th.  

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