To celebrate the end of a glittering career Paddy’s sent Tiger Roll a giant happy retirement card! The 10ft by 14ft card is at Western Approach Drive near Prestbury Park today ahead of the twice Grand National winning great’s final run in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at 4:10pm and you can pop along to sign it.
Paddy estimates that Tiger Roll has earned punters in the region of half a billion pounds over the course of his career and he’s got a great chance to put a further dent in before hanging up his horseshoes.
Those who can’t be in the Cotswolds can contribute their message via Twitter using the hashtag #FarewellTigerRoll.
Having been purchased as ‘an afterthought’ for £10k by trainer Gordon Elliott, Tiger Roll went on to win the Aintree Grand National twice, earned over £1.4m in prize money over the course of his career, and secured five back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham festival.
With a 3rd Grand National off the cards (more on that fiasco here), it means his likely swansong instead comes at The Cheltenham Festival this afternoon, where he bids to equal a record set by wonder mare Quevega, who made it six-in-a-row with Ruby Walsh onboard back in 2014.
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Speaking about the prospect of his achievement on Quevega being equaled, record-holding Cheltenham champion jockey and Paddy Power ambassador Ruby Walsh said: “It would be great to see it. He’s a wonderful horse.
“He’s won two Grand Nationals. He’s won a Triumph Hurdle, a National Hunt Chase and now he’s trying to win his fourth Cross Country Chase. Whatever accolades have been thrown at the horse, you’d have to say his trainer deserves them every bit as much.”
A new poll commissioned by Paddy revealed Tiger Roll was voted Ireland’s No.1 horse when measured against racing greats like Red Rum (17%), Hurricane Fly (14%), Desert Orchid (9%), Arkle and Kauto Star (6%) and Istabraq (5%).
UK racing fans put him in the No. 2 spot with 18% of votes, behind Grand National hattrick winning racehorse, Red Rum (28%).
He might have cost us dearly over the course of his career, but it was worth every penny to see how this horse captured the hearts and imaginations of racing fans.
Tiger Roll remains the firm favourite to win the Cross Country Chase and punters are so confident the superstar racehorse will pull it off, that Paddy is offering odds of the distance he will win by when it does.
For the latest odds, and specials on Tiger Roll and all the runners in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, visit the Paddy Power website.
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