Don't miss Mike Cattermole on Tiger Roll's National heroics, the Jonjo O'Neill spending spree, Willie Carson coming to Sky Sports Racing and more!
TIGER ROLL – NATIONAL HAT-TRICK BECKONS
Tiger Roll's amazing achievement of emulating Red Rum with back-to-back Grand National wins was extraordinary in its manner.
Apart from errors five out and four out, which he nonchalantly brushed off, the Tiger was always going so incredibly easily and Davy Russell spent most of the race holding him together. Like Rummy, Tiger Roll has won his first two Nationals at the ages of eight and nine and is probably now at the peak of his powers.
Certainly, Red Rum was in his pomp when he won his second National in 1974 because, after humping 12 stone to victory by seven lengths from former Gold Cup winner L’Escargot (11-13), he went on to land the Scottish National at Ayr later in the month and became the only horse to do so in the same season.
I doubt whether that will ever be repeated although while Tiger Roll is around, anything is possible!
What is long forgotten is that Rummy was not the bookie-bashing favourite in 1974; he was actually third best in the market at 11/1 because he had a massive 23lb more on his back compared to 12 months earlier when getting up to deny Crisp.
It was in 1975 that Rummy was sent off just 7/2 favourite - under 12 stone again - only for L’Escargot to get his revenge with a 10lb pull in the weights.
Tiger Roll carried 11-5 on Saturday, which was 6lb more than he had had in 2018 (although actually a 9lb higher mark). Within minutes of his triumph, many were no doubt thinking that an unprecedented Grand National hat-trick might be on the cards, so it was a bit of a dampener to hear owner Michael O’Leary virtually ruling it out.
It is hardly surprising and totally understandable that O’Leary is clearly very protective of Tiger Roll and before Saturday’s race he was notably downplaying his chances of winning again and just wishing him a safe passage.
Post-race, the Irish tycoon seemed to be happy just to nominate the Cross Country at Cheltenham next season which, if he managed to pull it off, would of course be a fifth consecutive win at the Festival.
Red Rum can’t compete with that "away" record but as things stand, Ginger McCain’s superstar, who jumped the Aintree fences well before they were modified of course, still holds the upper hand in the National with that third win gained four years after his first, not to mention the two seconds in between.
But what an opportunity there is for Tiger Roll now to try and do something that even Rummy couldn’t do. These days, the top weight in the National is limited to 11-10 so that’s just 5lb more than he carried last Saturday, although the handicapper will ensure that when the weights and measures are adjusted, Tiger’s task is going to be that little bit harder than that.
Still, what an opportunity to make history! Should he or shouldn’t he? It’s debate that is set to run until next year and Mr O’Leary, please indulge us - if only just a little!
A STATEMENT OF INTENT FROM JONJO AT GOFFS AINTREE SALE
The fourth annual Goffs Aintree Sale took place after racing on Thursday when 29 lots went under the hammer and records were absolutely smashed.
The pattern was set when Lot 1, Don Poli, was sold for an incredible £170,000 (I not sure many saw that coming) and he was immediately followed by fellow Grand National declaration Outlander at £165,000.
The rest of the sale consisted of several promising point-to-point and bumper winners whose futures could be anything. After all, this is a sale that has produced Grade One winners Samcro, Topofthegame and Black Op in its first three incarnations and hopes still remain high for last year's sale topper Malone Road who hacked up in his two bumpers last November for Gordon Elliott but has been sidelined since.
The one that stole the show this time was Lot 12, Papa Tango Charly, who like Samcro was consigned by Colin Bowe's Milestone Stables on behalf of owner Walter Connors.
In a tremendous tussle, agent Aiden Kennedy beat off JP McManus to secure the four-year-old maiden point winner for £440,000 and he will now go into training with Jonjo O'Neill.
Given his indifferent season, this was a real statement of intent from Jonjo and a vote of confidence for him, too. It was somewhat ironic that JP, Jonjo’s landlord, was the under-bidder. No pressure then!
"This fellow is nice now."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 28, 2019
Papa Tango Charly is from the Colin Bowe academy and sells at Aintree next week. He's a name to remember, says @pughp2p.
Enjoy Point-to-Point Ireland at your leisure on the Racing TV website a little later @IREthoroughbred pic.twitter.com/zkRhnbeYYl
WILLIE CARSON COMING SOON ON SKY SPORTS RACING
Willie Carson is still the only man in history to have ridden a Classic winner on a horse he had bred himself. Yes, Minster Son’s 1988 St Leger is one of the Scot’s proudest achievements and rightly so.
We went to see the five-time champion jockey at home this week for an upcoming feature on Sky Sports Racing. Just observing his enthusiasm and the way he is still working busily around his Minster Stud base, littered with mares, yearlings and foals, it is hard to believe that Willie is now 76.
This is the same man, remember, who broke 36 bones in his body as a jockey and included a double skull fracture as a result of that sickening fall from the ill-fated Silken Knot at York back in 1981.
We didn’t need to touch on things like that, though, as there were too many highlights to chat about.
Willie and his wife Elaine welcomed us on the morning that they had returned from Newmarket at 3.30am in the horsebox with a mare they had taken up to be covered by the young stallion Territories.
Although they would have loved to have bred the winner of the Derby, they at least got the next best thing when Jack Hobbs won the Irish version at the Curragh in 2015.
Now, the Richard Hannon-trained Urban Icon, owned by Michael Pescod, may carry their hopes in another Classic if the unbeaten colt pleases in his trial for the 2,000 Guineas in Saturday’s Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
Willie is aware of the upbeat reports from his trainer and the £23,000 purchase price at the Ascot Sales in September, 2017, could look even more of a bargain come Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, the Carsons still dream of breeding an Oaks winner with Shadow Dancing, third in 2002, the closest they have come.
WELCOME BACK WINDSOR, BUT NO BURGER FOR ME
Good to see some familiar faces at Windsor on Monday, which is my local track. It’s never going to be voted top for its clear viewing but there is something different about this idiosyncratic figure-of-eight course which is laid out on an island all its own and can even be reached by boat if you prefer.
There is always a good, friendly atmosphere there and I am constantly recommending it to friends who have yet to sample the delights of racing on a Monday evening in the summer.
This time, preferring an alternative to the usual press room sandwiches, I went hunting around the food lawn and was tempted by a cheeseburger (yes, I know) until I saw the price - £10! I’m sorry but that is a joke and it was similar for slices of pizza, too.
Pricey food at racecourses has been a bone of contention of mine for years. There’s an opportunity out there for a racecourse to set an example and become well known for offering good value snacks or light meals to racegoers.
Perhaps there is one that I don’t know of. If so, perhaps you could let me know via my twitter handle @catters61. And do please let us know of others that are charging sky-high prices.
