'Every chance' Tiger Roll will bid for third Grand National next year after coronavirus cancellation

Trainer Gordon Elliott says there is “every chance” Grand National hero Tiger Roll will bid for a third win in the race next season after this year’s renewal was cancelled.

Following the government’s announcement that it would stop supporting mass gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak, organisers confirmed the world’s most famous horse race, due to take place next month, would not take place this year.

Tiger Roll, who became the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back Nationals when winning last year’s renewal, had been hoping to complete an unprecedented hat-trick.

The Gigginstown horse will be 11 by the time next year’s race comes around, but owner Michael O’Leary had already confirmed that he would stay in training next season and Elliott sees no reason why the Aintree showpiece would not be a major target again.

“There is every chance of him competing,” he told BBC Radio Four. “He hasn’t got that many miles on the clock, and we will be training him back for the Grand National again.

“You’re training horses day by day, never mind year by year, so I’ll be taking things day by day – and there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge by then.

“He’s in good form and he was all set for the National, but unfortunately we’re only one of 40 horses – and so we’ve just got to keep going.

“All we can do it dream – so you never know what might happen.”