Gigginstown House Stud’s Grand National Challenge When it comes to National hunt racing and the Grand National in particular, there is little doubt that Gigginstown House Stud are the biggest operation with a vast number of horses spread across a variety of trainers. They have of course landed the world’s richest steeplechase in two of the last three seasons, firstly with Rule the World in 2016, and then Tiger Roll last season. So, can they land the race in 2019? Here we cover a number of their leading horses set to contest this year’s race. Tiger Roll Where better to start than with Tiger Roll, as he looks to become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to retain the National. He has returned to the track recently with an eye-catching victory in the Boyne hurdle, when scoring virtually on the bridle, showing the horses well-being. This has led to many punters using the latest Grand National betting offers 2019 to support him, in which he is now a best priced 12/1 for the race. Tiger Roll will be competing off a 9lb higher mark in the Grand National than last season, having been allotted 11 stone 1lb which equates to a BHA rating of 159. He will first head to the Cheltenham festival as a prep and will start as one of the shortest priced horses of the week to defend his crown in the Cross Country. If all goes to plan then he is likely to head to Aintree with as good a chance as any horse, and clearly holds a strong chance of success for the Gordon Elliott stable. Alpha des Obeaux Another horse from the Elliott yard is the 2016 stayers hurdle runner up, Alpha des Obeaux. He is coming off the back of two pleasing performances in finishing second in both the Thyestes and Bobbyjo chase recently. He has been allotted 11 stone 4lb, a BHA rating of 162, so is heading in as one of the highest rated horses in the race. He is a best priced 40/1 at present for the race. Outlander Yet another expected Elliott runner is the 11-year-old, Outlander. He has been a fantastic horse for connections for some time, including a victory in the Lexus chase back in 2016. He also won the 2017 running of the Champion chase at Down Royal. However, there is little doubt he has been fairly underwhelming in his recent starts and has saved much of his best performances for Leopardstown. Outlander has been allotted a weight of 11 stone, a BHA rating of 158. He can be supported at a best priced 80/1. Don Poli The next member of the expected Elliott team heading to Aintree is the 10-year-old, Don Poli. He finished a distant third in the 2016 running of the Gold Cup and has long been muted as a horse who could be tailor made for an extreme test such as the Grand National. Don Poli also has form at the track having won a listed chase back in 2015. However, Don Poli has been very disappointing since his near two-year absence due to injury. This has seen him pulled up in both the Becher Chase over the course, and then the Galmoy hurdle most recently. He has been allotted 10 stone 13lbs, with a BHA rating of 157. Don Poli can be supported at 66/1 in places for the race. Dounikos Dounikos comes into the National off a victory in the BoyleSports sponsored Grand National Tiral over 3m4f at Punchestown in February where he led home a 1-2-3 for Gigginstown owned horses. He had Irish Grand National winner General Principle five lengths behind in third and looks to have an each-way chance at odds of 25/1 if turning up on the day at Aintree. He is only an eight-year-old and gets into the National weights with a BHA rating of 154 which is 2lbs below his current Irish handicap mark. Remaining Entries Gigginstown House Stud are responsible for 13 of the 100 horses entered for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National and the remainder are Sub Lieutenant, Shattered Love, A Toi Phil, Monbeg Notorious, Blow By Blow, Valseur Lido, General Principle and Woods Well.
