The legendary Tiger Roll has been roared to victory in five Cheltenham Festivals since 2014 and could even make it six this year. Here, you can look back on his glorious history.
Tiger Roll's valiant efforts in the 2018 and 2019 Grand National's saw him become the first horse to win back-to-back renewals of the Aintree spectacle since Red Rum's heroics in 1974, firmly writing his name into racing folklore. But his Cheltenham Festival record is one that needs plenty of applause too, let's not forget!
2014 Triumph Hurdle
Going back to the first of his - what would prove to be many - successful raids on Prestbury Park, it all started in the 2014 Triumph Hurdle.
Striking in Grade 1 company on just his third start under Rules, Tiger Roll claimed the spoils under Davy Russell, having been sent off at odds of 10/1. The Timeform race report following that effort reads: "the best prospect in this field by some way and likely to give a good account if sent to Aintree and/or Punchestown" - he couldn't follow that success up, but how true would that suggestion prove to be in time, ey?!
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2017 National Hunt Cup
The Gigginstown star was well beaten in the 2015 Stayers' Hurdle on his second run at the Festival, but skip forward to the 2017 Festival, and Tiger returned, and with a bang. He produced a then career best effort under amateur rider Lisa O'Neill to land the National Hunt Cup, securing the prize with a 3 length success, at 16/1, despite making a couple of notable mistakes.
2018 Cross Country Chase and Grand National double
Twelve months later, and more success followed, this time in the Cross Country Chase. A race in which Tiger Roll would prove to excell in, Gordon Elliott's charge registered a third victory in as many different races at the Festival, as he powered up the Cheltenham hill, replicating the feat his handler had previously achieved with Cause Of Causes.
Although this is a Cheltenham Festival feature, there's no harm in reliving how he tasted Grand National glory for the first time.
2019 Cross Country Chase
The team at Timeform we're quick to suggest that Tiger Roll may well go on to become a dominant force in that sphere after his 2018 success; another comment which would prove true. A fourth Festival win followed 12 months later, as he successfully defended his crown in style. This time he'd storm to a wide-margin victory, tanking his way through the race before putting his rivals to the sword with a 22 length demolition.
The Tiger was in the form of his life, and history at Aintree was just around the corner...
2021 Cross Country Chase
After his 2019 Grand National triumph, Tiger Roll had finished well beaten or pulled up in each of five following starts, including a distant second to French raider Easysland (now trained by Jonjo O'Neill) in the 2020 renewal of the Cross Country. Struggling to recapture his best form, he was sent off at odds of 9/2 for the 2021 renewal. It was there that he sparked back into life, back at Cheltenham and going with real zest again. He would put his conqueror from 12 months previously firmly in his place, powering to an 18 length success that day to the delight of the crowd, securing his fifth Festival triumph in the process.
In what is rumoured to be his final appearance on a racecourse, certainly a last at the Cheltenham Festival anyway, Tiger Roll bids to sign off with a sixth Festival win. Fingers crossed for one more triumph to add to his glowing CV – which will surely spark yet more great scenes at Prestbury Park later this month!
Horse Racing at Sporting Life
