Three interesting horses following the release of the Grand National weights The 2019 Grand National weights were revealed recently, in which dual Betfair chase winner Bristol De Mai was allotted top weight of 11 stone 10lb. This has led to several horses really catching the eye that could be set to run off a nice racing weight, but this can of course all change as horses are taken out of the contest. Here we cover three horses who look very interesting for the Aintree showpiece and are worth keeping on side. Tiger Roll Normally previous winners of the race really struggle but Tiger Roll looks to have returned this season in the form of his life. An effortless success in the Boyne Hurdle recently at odds of 25/1, has led to him to head into the upcoming Cheltenham festival as one of the shortest priced favourites of the week, and banker material for many, when he defends his title in the Cross Country Chase. He travelled ominously well throughout the race in Navan, which bodes well for the rest of the season. Tiger Roll is now likely to head back to Aintree with yet another Cheltenham Festival victory to his name. He has been allotted a mark of 11 stone 1lb, which means he will be racing from 9lbs higher than when victorious last season. He must be rated as a very strong contender, as he stretched clear in last year’s race coming to the elbow before tiring very late on. Tiger Roll is looking to emulate the great Red Rum by becoming the first horse to defend his Grand National crown since back in the 1970s. Many punters have been looking to bet with Ladbrokes on Grand National 2019, in which he can be supported at a general 12/1 for the race, and is likely to shorten further in the run up to the race, particularly so if he notches his fourth Cheltenham Festival win along the way. Folsom Blue Another Gordon Elliott trained runner who is worth a mention is the 12-year-old, Folsom Blue. He can be supported at 66/1 on the exchanges, but on his day could be a big player in the race. If the ground turned very testing it would really play to his strengths as he is a dour stayer, which he proved when a very unlucky fourth in the 2018 Irish Grand National when hampered after jumping the last fence. He was also fourth in the 2016 running of the Irish version and is another horse that is likely to run off a light weight of 10st. There are two slight worries with backing Folsom Blue at this stage, firstly, he is number 58 on the list of entries so will require some higher rated horses to come out of the race in order to secure one of the 40 slots. Another worry would be him getting outpaced, and struggling to get back on terms as they do go quick in the early stages. However, there is little doubt he will be a horse still battling on when most have given way and rates another to keep on side for the National. Mall Dini The final horse worth a mention is the nine-year-old Mall Dini. Amazingly he has yet to win a race over fences but of course came agonisingly close in the 2018 running of the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham festival. He travelled like the best horse for most of the race before being outbattled up the hill by the game Missed Approach. He can be supported at a general 25/1 for the race at present, so rates a solid each way bet at this early stage. Mall Dini looks to have been aimed at the race for some time and it is significant that he may now sidestep Cheltenham this year as he has run at the last three Festivals. Mall Dini is trained by a master in Pat Kelly, who of course trains the current Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite, Presenting Percy. He has shown time and time again that he can get a horse ready for the big occasion, so with Mall Dini getting a nice racing weight of 10st4lbs, he rates another strong contender for the showpiece of the National hunt season which takes place on Saturday 6th April.
