Tiger Roll will have to defy a 9lb higher mark if he is to become the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back renewals of the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree in April but has been installed as the early 20/1 joint favourite by most bookmakers.
Gordon Elliott’s nine-year-old only beat Pleasant Company by a head in 2018, however, and the runner-up will be 2lb better off if taking his chance this year, though is available at 33/1 with Unibet. Elliott has an incredible 22 entries this season, despite fears that a no-deal Brexit could threaten Irish participation. Pleasant Company’s trainer, Willie Mullins, has 10 entered at the initial stage.
Leading Grand National Weights 2019 – Latest Entries
Horse Age Weight Rating Owner Trainer
BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) 8 11-10 168 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
ANIBALE FLY (FR) 9 11-06 164 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE
ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) 9 11-04 162 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE) 7 11-04 162 John Romans Colin Tizzard
THE STORYTELLER (IRE) 8 11-03 161 Pat Sloan Gordon Elliott IRE
VALTOR (FR) 10 11-02 160 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
EDWULF 10 11-01 159 J P McManus Joseph O’Brien IRE
TIGER ROLL (IRE) 9 11-01 159 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
OUTLANDER (IRE) 11 11-00 158 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
DON POLI (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
GO CONQUER (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Paul & Clare Rooney Nigel Twiston-Davies
SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
BLAKLION 10 10-12 156 Simon Such & Gino Paletta Nigel Twiston-Davies
MALA BEACH (IRE) 11 10-12 156 Chris Jones Gordon Elliott IRE
YALA ENKI (FR) 9 10-12 156 Hills of Ledbury (Aga) Venetia Williams
BALLYOPTIC (IRE) 9 10-11 155 Mills & Mason Partnership Nigel Twiston-Davies
BLACK CORTON (FR) 8 10-11 155 The Brooks, Stewart Families & J Kyle Paul Nicholls
LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE) 9 10-11 155 Trevor Hemmings Nick Alexander
MINELLA ROCCO (IRE) 9 10-11 155 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) 11 10-11 155 Malcolm Denmark Willie Mullins IRE
AMERICAN (FR) 9 10-10 154 The Jago Family Partnership Harry Fry
DOUNIKOS (FR) 8 10-10 154 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
ONE FOR ARTHUR (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Two Golf Widows Lucinda Russell
RATHVINDEN (IRE) 11 10-10 154 Ronnie Bartlett Willie Mullins IRE
SHATTERED LOVE (IRE) 8 10-10 154 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
SIZING CODELCO (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Colin Tizzard
TOTAL RECALL (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Slaneyville Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
TRAFFIC FLUIDE (FR) 9 10-10 154 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership Gary Moore
ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) 9 10-09 153 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
WARRIORS TALE 10 10-09 153 Trevor Hemmings Paul Nicholls
AUVERGNAT (FR) 9 10-08 152 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE
REGAL ENCORE (IRE) 11 10-08 152 J P McManus Anthony Honeyball
ROYAL VACATION (IRE) 9 10-08 152 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard
A TOI PHIL (FR) 9 10-07 151 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
JURY DUTY (IRE) 8 10-07 151 Sideways Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE
MAGIC OF LIGHT (IRE) 8 10-07 151 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Jessica Harrington IRE
MASTER DEE (IRE) 10 10-07 151 Paul & Clare Rooney Fergal O’Brien
MONBEG NOTORIOUS (IRE) 8 10-06 150 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) 10 10-06 150 Chris Jones Gordon Elliott IRE
SANDYMOUNT DUKE (IRE) 10 10-06 150 Ronnie Wood Jessica Harrington IRE
THE LAST SAMURI (IRE) 11 10-06 150 Paul & Clare Rooney Harry Fry
ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) 9 10-05 149 Slaneyville Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
RAMSES DE TEILLEE (FR) 7 10-05 149 John White & Anne Underhill David Pipe
TEA FOR TWO 10 10-05 149 Jane Williams & Len Jakeman Jane Williams
DAKLONDIKE (IRE) 7 10-04 148 Prof Caroline Tisdall David Pipe
MALL DINI (IRE) 9 10-04 148 Philip Reynolds Patrick Kelly IRE
CALETT MAD (FR) 7 10-03 147 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
STEP BACK (IRE) 9 10-03 147 Cracker and Smodge Partnership Mark Bradstock
THE DUTCHMAN (IRE) 9 10-03 147 SprayClad UK Colin Tizzard
ULTRAGOLD (FR) 11 10-03 147 Brocade Racing John Romans Terry Warner Colin Tizzard
BLOW BY BLOW (IRE) 8 10-02 146 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
MS PARFOIS (IRE) 8 10-02 146 M R Chapman Anthony Honeyball
PAIROFBROWNEYES (IRE) 10 10-02 146 Fibbage Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
SINGLEFARMPAYMENT 9 10-02 146 N T Griffith & H M Haddock Tom George
SOME NECK (FR) 8 10-02 146 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) 10 10-02 146 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 10 10-02 146 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) 10 10-02 146 Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent David Pipe
ABOLITIONIST (IRE) 11 10-01 145 Mark Albon, John Provan & Chris Stedman Dr Richard Newland
GIVE ME A COPPER (IRE) 9 10-01 145 Done, Ferguson, Kyle, Mason & Wood Paul Nicholls
MISSED APPROACH (IRE) 9 10-01 145 Alan & Andrew Turner Warren Greatrex
FOLSOM BLUE (IRE) 12 10-00 144 Core Partnership Gordon Elliott IRE
GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) 10 10-00 144 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
LIVELOVELAUGH (IRE) 9 10-00 144 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE) 9 10-00 144 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith
WALK IN THE MILL (FR) 9 10-00 144 Baroness Harding Robert Walford
WILLIE BOY (IRE) 8 10-00 144 Kate & Andrew Brooks Charlie Longsdon
Irish runners, in fact, dominate the early betting. The colours of the powerful Gigginstown Stud, owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, have been carried to victory twice in the last three years and anything sporting the famous maroon and white star on the day will obviously command the utmost respect but the home team won’t go down without a fight.
Nigel Twiston-Davies knows how to prepare a Grand National winner and, as well as top weight Bristol De Mai (a general 33/1) has entered Aintree specialists Blaklion and Ultragold (both a best 40/1) and Ballyoptic and Sky Bet Chase winner Go Conquer, who would both be guaranteed a run.
Ms Parfois, a proven stayer, is a general 33/1 and could bid to become the first mare since Nickel Coin in 1951 to win the Grand National while Elegant Escape (a best 20/1) may attempt the Welsh-Grand National double. Of course, it’s all pretty much guesswork at this stage but my eye is drawn to the 50/1 available for SINGLEFARMPAYMENT, who just looks the type to run well at Aintree and should arrive a relatively fresh horse.
