Watching Michael O’Leary watch Tiger Roll come up just short in his 45th and final race was a singularly fascinating experience. As the tapes went up in the Cross Country Chase, a contest National Hunt’s now retired national treasure had won twice previously, his owner separated himself from his small entourage, leaned against the back of the presentation podium in the winner’s enclosure and gazed impassively at the nearest big screen.
There he remained throughout the duration of the 3m 6f race, protected from the day’s relentless downpour by a blue bobble hat and beige overcoat. He neither moved a muscle nor registered a flicker of emotion until his ludicrously brave superstar was pipped on the run-in. The Ryanair boss had said in the build-up to the Festival that “Cheltenham doesn’t do fairytales” and while that’s not strictly true, on this occasion he was absolutely right.
The victim of a late smash-and-grab on his swansong, Tiger Roll was ultimately denied his happy-ever-after ending by Delta Work; the same Delta Work who was ridden by Jack Kennedy, trained by Gordon Elliott and owned by … Michael O’Leary. “Wrong fucking horse!” he exclaimed, shaking his head as he rejoined his wife in the parade ring. “Wrong fucking horse! I was actually kind of hoping Jack would take a pull on Delta.”
Less than an hour before the off, O’Leary had advised punters that “anyone who is still thinking of backing Tiger needs their heads examined”. His warning came after a day of almost apocalyptic rainfall that began at 9.30am, continued all day and rendered the conditions underfoot highly unsuitable for a horse known for his preference for good ground. Unbeknownst to his owner, Tiger Roll had other ideas and on a filthy, dirty Festival day he sparked the bedraggled hordes in the stands and bars into life as he moved clear of the chasing pack at the start of the third and final circuit under a patient ride from Davy Russell.
An on-off partnership that first tasted victory in the Triumph Hurdle here eight years ago, Russell and Tiger Roll have since won back-to-back Grand Nationals, while Wednesday marked the horse’s attempt to register a record-equalling sixth Festival win in the last race of his storied career. Despite the diabolical conditions, they looked set to pull off the most unlikely of wins until Delta Work and Kennedy pooped their party, reducing O’Leary to tears and prompting loud boos and catcalls from the sentimentalists and romantics in the grandstand.
“I really would have loved to have seen Tiger go out with a win,” said his owner in an emotional post-race interview. “He went out on his shield, he’s a warrior. He’s phenomenal. That’s a Gold Cup horse after beating him over three miles on ground he wouldn’t like. I’m actually upset because I would have loved to see him win it. I’m going to shoot Jack Kennedy when I see him! You think the dream is going to happen when he jumps the last and then he just gets mugged.”
Introduced to the Festival in 2005 and run over almost four miles, the Cross Country Steeplechase is not every racegoer’s – or indeed racehorse’s – cup of tea. Something of a novelty event, it is a different kind of white-knuckle ride for jockeys who, as well as taking the usual risks to life and limb, must commit an almost preposterously complex route to memory, or at the very least make sure to stay hot on the heels of a weigh room colleague they know to have walked and studied the course.
Runners and riders negotiate a serious of tight turns over three circuits, none of which are the same, while negotiating 32 different obstacles of all shapes and sizes including banks, ditches, fences, stuffed hurdles, timber rails, a Grand National tribute jump and the infamous cheese wedges. Equine versatility and adaptability are key, while course experience is hugely advantageous. On Wednesday the gruelling distance and awful conditions rendered stamina a particular pre-requisite.
While Tiger Roll came up agonisingly short, there are plenty of racing fans who will have little or no sympathy for O’Leary and not just because one of his other entrants won the race. In recent years he has been waging his own very public war with the British Horseracing Authority’s handicapper, in the process denying the general public the opportunity to see Tiger Roll try to emulate Red Rum by winning – or at least trying to win – a third Grand National.
Cheltenham 1.30 Galopin Des Champs, 2.10 Tullybeg, 2.50 Allaho, 3.30 Flooring Porter (nb), 4.10 Imperial Alcazar (nap), 4.50 Dinoblue, 5.30 Mister Fogpatches
Hexham 1.45 Shaka The King, 2.25 Minelladestination, 3.05 Dubai Devils, 3.45 Camdonian, 4.25 Croagh Patrick, 5.10 Classic Escape, 5.45 Onestepatatime
Southwell 4.20 Scarborough Castle, 5.00 Conservative, 5.40 Love Your Work, 6.15 Tommytwohoots, 6.45 Royal Heart, 7.15 Coolagh Magic, 7.45 Palifico, 8.15 Raydoun
Wolverhampton 6.00 Glorious Charmer, 6.30 High Velocity, 7.00 The Thin Blue Line, 7.30 Queen Aminatu, 8.00 Dingle, 8.30 Phantasy Mac
Tiger Roll last won at Aintree three years ago, and will not now attempt a third tilt at the National for petty reasons that seem fuelled by his owner’s contrarianism and spite. After pulling Tiger Roll from last year’s Grand National in a row over the horse’s weight allocation, toxic hostilities resumed again this year despite a 5lb drop in the ratings from last year’s mark.
Describing handicapper Martin Greenwood’s calculations as “absurd” and “idiotic”, O’Leary once again scratched Tiger Roll from this year’s Grand National field despite him being given a perfectly reasonable weight for a horse of his age and previous experience. It has not gone unobserved that Red Rum won his third National at an identical age, while carrying 4lb more over a longer distance with far more treacherous fences. While his heroic defeat in the Cross Country showed Tiger Roll’s courage is unquestionable, many will argue the bravery of his owner doesn’t stand up to quite the same scrutiny.
