Sports

Talking Horses: handicapper will not be 'blackmailed' over Tiger Roll


British racing’s top jumps handicapper has rebuffed a call from the owners of Tiger Roll, asking for the horse to be given lenient treatment when the weights are set for next year’s Grand National. “You can’t blackmail a system to get him running,” said Martin Greenwood, responding to a suggestion that the horse might not attempt to win the Aintree race for a third time unless his rating was reduced.

Eddie O’Leary, who manages the racing interests of his brother, Michael, said last month: “They say they condense the weights to encourage the good horses to run. If the National isn’t well condensed, Tiger Roll won’t run. If they want him – it’s up to themselves. He will be 11st 10lb. He will obviously be top weight. But if it’s not condensed down enough, he won’t be running. We’ve seen horses condensed 7lb to 9lb before.”

O’Leary was referring to the now established practice of compressing the top end of the National weights, so that the differences in weight to be carried are reduced. This favours the very best horses and has in the past been an incentive for Gold Cup-quality horses to take part. The thinking is that, in a marathon like the National, every extra pound makes more of a difference than it would in a shorter race.

But Greenwood said compression had been introduced to tempt “horses that don’t normally run in handicaps”. By contrast, horses like Tiger Roll with established Aintree form have not been compressed and have sometimes had their ratings raised.

Greenwood added: “I don’t want to be put in the position where I would definitely agree to drop him because that would just be stupid. I’ll give him a weight that I think is satisfactory. If Mr O’Leary doesn’t want to run with that weight, he doesn’t run. It’s not about Tiger Roll, it’s not a Tiger Roll Fan Club. It’s a handicap to try and make it fair for everybody.

“As a racing enthusiast, you’d love to see Tiger Roll in the race, we’d all agree on that. But you can’t blackmail a system to get him running. We’ve got to have him running on the weight that the handicapper thinks is just. I sincerely hope he runs.”

Having won the last two Nationals from ratings of 150 and 159, Tiger Roll is now rated 172. It is such a high rating that many of his rivals in the next National may have to run from out of the handicap, which would also have the effect of favouring Tiger Roll. In any case, Greenwood is evidently a fan, saying: “I have never seen a horse in my memory travel so strongly on the Grand National. He was still on the bridle at the last fence. He is an unbelievable horse.”

Friday’s best bets, by Chris Cook

To Goodwood, which may provide another fine day in the career of John Gosden. But will it also be a good day for Frankie Dettori? Aye, there’s the rub, because the trainer has two in today’s Cocked Hat Stakes and I think Dettori may be on the wrong one.

Private Secretary, the Italian’s mount, was briefly talked up as Derby material earlier this week, though connections have now said he’ll miss that and Royal Ascot is the target. He’s unbeaten this year, but the most recent of his two wins was in a handicap off 83, so 11-10 looks short to me.

Among his rivals is Gosden’s Alfaatik (3.30), who has been getting in his own way and showing a lot of greenness in his two starts. But he was staying on well at the end of Sandown’s Classic Trial, should know more this time and has another quarter-mile to help. He’s bred to be better than he has so far shown and I’ll take a chance on him at 7-1.

In the fillies’ handicap, I’m hoping Pennywhistle (2.55) can turn around juvenile form with Desirous, when there were a couple of reasons, including weight, that might explain why the other filly prevailed. Pennywhistle is 13-8 this time.

At Worcester, I’m determined to get a win out of Cottonvale (8.10), whose effort was left until too late a stage last time. This horse travels well on fast ground and I hope Jack Tudor can get him home at 7-2.

Goodwood 1.50 Dream Shot 2.20 Wufud 2.55 Pennywhistle (nap) 3.30 Alfaatik 4.05 Areen Heart 4.40 Knight Crusader 5.10 Show Me The Bubbly
Bath 2.00 Delagate This Lord 2.30 Applecros 3.05 Catch The Cuban 3.40 Universal Order 4.15 Spot Lite 4.50 Bungee Jump 5.20 Junoesque
Haydock 2.10 Tomorrow’s Angel 2.45 Visible Charm 3.20 Look Out Louis 3.55 Sacred Dance 4.30 Nonchalance 5.00 Jaleel 5.35 Swansdown
Worcester 5.40 Sausalito Sunrise 6.10 Istimraar 6.40 Darcy Ward 7.10 Bold Record 7.40 Sunset Showdown 8.10 Cottonvale (nb) 8.40 Forget Me Knot
Pontefract 6.30 Straight Ash 7.00 Just Wait 7.30 Monoski 8.00 Musharrif 8.30 Never Be Enough 9.00 Qutob



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