Tiger rolls back the years to win at Cheltenham again

Nick Robson
March 17, 2021 4:15 pm

Fifth Festival success for dual Grand National hero.

Tiger Roll was an incredible winner at the Cheltenham Festival for the fifth time when reclaiming his Glenfarclas Chase crown in scintillating fashion.

Having hitherto disappointed this season, it seemed the form that had seen him win back-to-back Grand Nationals was in the past.

But back at his favourite track and sent off the 9-2 second-favourite behind his conqueror from last season, Easysland, he looked a lot younger than his 11 years skipping round the cross-country course.

Tiger Roll’s incredible CV
🏇 41 runs🥇 13 wins🏆🏆🏆 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase🏆🏆 Grand National🏆 National Hunt Chase🏆 Triumph Hurdle🏆 Boyne Hurdle💷 Over GBP 1.4 million in prize money🐅 The horse of a lifetime pic.twitter.com/Yb2Xszoi2y
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 17, 2021

The French challenger briefly closed up and looked threatening, but it soon became apparent that Keith Donoghue had only given Tiger Roll a breather.

He quickly went clear again and rounding the home turn the race was over, with his only danger in front of him – but he skipped the last and powered home by 18 lengths from Easysland, with Some Neck third.

Now in the care of Denise Foster following long-time trainer Gordon Elliott’s well-chronicled ban, Tiger Roll usually runs in this race prior to heading to Aintree for the National, but the decision was taken a few weeks ago to take him out of the race as connections believed his handicap mark was unfair.