Donald McCain believes Tiger Roll has a “great chance” of emulating Red Rum by becoming a back-to-back winner of the Grand National at Aintree next Saturday (7/2 Outright).
McCain’s late father, Ginger, was trainer of the legendary Red Rum when he won the National in 1973 and 1974, before claiming a third win in 1977.
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No horse has managed to repeat that feat since, although Tiger Roll is being heavily backed to follow up his 2018 success when he returns to the Merseyside course next weekend.
The Gordon Elliott-trained nine-year-old goes into the race in excellent form as he followed up a win in the Ireland Boyne Hurdle in February with an impressive performance when coming out on top in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month.
And, while McCain insists the changes made to the Grand National over the past 40-plus years, in terms of safety measures and differences in handicapping, means Tiger Roll can never be compared to Red Rum, he sees no reason why he can’t claim a second successive win.
“I think Tiger Roll has a great chance of winning another National, and Gordon [Elliott] is making a fantastic job of him,” McCain told the Racing Post.
He added: “He’s been trained for the day and I imagine the Cross Country will have put him spot on. If anybody can get the job done, Gordon can.
“If Tiger Roll can go and win a second Grand National it would be a feat that’s not been done for many years and it might be a long time before it is done again in the modern era, but the race and the conditions have changed beyond recognition compared to those [Red Rum’s] days.”
Willie Mullins’ Rathvinden is 10/1 to win Saturday’s feature at Aintree, with Tony Martin’s Anibale Fly 11/1.
Odds subject to change
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