Double Grand National Winner Tiger Roll could make seasonal debut at Champions Chase on October 31, reveals trainer Gordon Elliott
- Tiger Roll could make his seasonal debut at Champions Chase on October 31
- Trainer Gordon Elliott revealed dual Grand National could race at Down Royal
- Return could see him race with stablemates Delta Work and Presenting Percy
Trainer Gordon Elliott says his dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll could make his seasonal debut in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on October 31 providing the ground does not get soft.
A return run there for the 10-year-old, who was denied a shot at a third Grand National win when the race was cancelled in April because of the covid-19 shut-down, could potentially see Tiger Roll clash with two stablemates – Irish Gold Cup winner Delta Work and new recruit and dual Cheltenham Festival winner Presenting Percy.
Tiger Roll is unlikely to take up an entry on the Flat at Navan on Thursday.
Tiger Roll could make his seasonal debut at the Champions Chase at Down Royal on October 31
Elliott said: ‘If the ground is good up in Down Royal I’d run him. If not I might keep him for the Boyne Hurdle in Navan (in February).’
Elliott confirmed his unbeaten 2020 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner Envoi Allen is going novice chasing.
Elliott said: ‘He was bought to be a Gold Cup horse, and that’s the way we’re going to train him. He doesn’t do anything flashy at home – he’s just the real thing when he gets on to the track.
‘I’m looking forward to starting him off in Down Royal. He’s going to come on from it – but if he’s going to be the horse we think he is, he should be winning in Down Royal.’ Abacadabras was last seen going down by just a short head to Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while Samcro bounced back to his best to beat the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Melon and Faugheen in a titanic tussle for the Marsh Novices’ Chase.
Trainer Gordon Elliott revealed dual Grand National winner will race if ground does not get soft
‘I think Abacadabras has improved – he’s stronger looking. We’ve never really had very good two milers, but this horse is pretty quick,’ said Elliott.
‘Samcro is a very good horse, and I’ve been lucky to have him.
‘I’d say he’ll go to Down Royal, then the John Durkan, the Kinloch Brae (Chase) and then the Ryanair Chase in Cheltenham. He’ll probably have an entry in the King George as well, but that’s what I have in my head at the moment.’