The 2020 Grand National sees Tiger Roll – the winner in each of the previous two seasons – in the unenviable position of carrying top weight around Aintree.
What else could the handicapper do with him? Tiger Roll defied a 9lb rise in his rating to become the first horse since Red Rum to win consecutive Grand Nationals in 2019.
The challenge is now trying for a historic hat-trick off a further 11lb higher in the weights. A 170 rating means Tiger Roll is worse off with those in-behind him at Aintree last year and it makes these horses of particular interest.
Magic Of Light (+4)
Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light could re-oppose off 4lb better terms. Jessica Harrington’s mare has again had a fine season, winning a Listed chase at Newbury once more and defending her crown in the Grade 2 Warfield Hurdle against her own sex at Ascot.
Magic Of Light was upsides Tiger Roll when making a mistake at the final fence and has less than three lengths to find on that form. She is 16/1 to go one better in the market on the Grand National and has an obvious chance at the revised weights.
Walk In The Mill (+6)
Robert Walford’s stable star Walk In The Mill has showed a definite aptitude for the spruce-covered fences on Merseyside. Like Tiger Roll, he is a dual winner over them but in the Becher Chase held at Aintree in December.
Anibale Fly (+13)
When you have placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups and as many Grand Nationals, that makes a horse like Anibale Fly of obvious betting interest. What further strengthens the JP McManus-owned, Tony Martin-trained Irish raider’s hand is a big swing in weight with Tiger Roll.
He had to give the winner 5lb last season, but now receives 8lb. Anibale Fly is nearly a stone better off with Tiger Roll for being beaten 16 1/2 lengths and looks to have been laid out for this race year as he skipped the Gold Cup, so he could be well worth a bet, given horse racing odds in 2020 so far.
One For Arthur (+17)
A rare Scottish-trained success at Aintree back in 2017, One For Arthur ran a very respectable race when he finished sixth and was beaten by about 25 lengths by Tiger Roll in 2019. Lucinda Russell’s charge could sneak in at the foot of the weights and, if so, is a whopping 17lb better off in the handicap.
That is massive difference which counts in One For Arthur’s favour. Certain horses are trained for the Grand National and he definitely falls into that category. One For Arthur is another 25/1 chance with bookmakers for one last hurrah on Merseyside.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.