2018 Grand National

The Grand National is one of the highlights of the horse racing season and the 2018 renewal must surely be one of the most memorable of the last twenty years.
Diminutive  Tiger Roll defied his stature to add the Grand National to his amazing list of top-class victories.
Tiger Roll is one of those very rare horses who has the ability to win top class races across a myriad of distances and ground conditions and must surely go down as one of the most versatile National Hunt horses in recent history.
The 2018 Grand National was the first renewal to be run on heavy ground since Red Marauder was only one of four horses to finish in 2001. Thankfully twelve horses completed the course in 2018 led home by  Tiger Roll who had travelled noticeably well throughout the race despite a few ungainly jumps including one at the nineteenth fence where jockey Davy Russell briefly lost an iron.  Tiger Roll took up the lead at the third last fence and appeared to be going ridiculously easily considering the conditions. The Gordon Elliott trained eight-year-old looked to have the race totally under control as he sauntered past previous leader  Pleasant Company and went well clear. However, as he past the Elbow his stride started to shorten, and  Pleasant Company began to relentlessly make up ground.  Tiger Roll desperately needed the line and it looked for a brief moment as if  Pleasant Company might record an extraordinary victory. At the line there was virtually nothing in it but  Tiger Roll was judged to have hung on by an ever diminishing Head.
The winner was the second victory in the race for both owner Gigginstown House and trainer Gordon Elliott but the first victory for veteran jockey Davy Russell.
Gallant runner-up  Pleasant Company was trying to break Willie Mullins’ long run of near misses in the Grand National going back to his last victory with Hedgehunter in 2005.
Honorable mentions should go to third placed thirteen-year-old Bless The Wings, who gave his trainer a notable first and third, and fourth place  Anibale Fly who lugged round eleven stone eight pounds for fourth place. The latter was given a canny ride by Grand National specialist Barry Geraghty who was at pains to keep the horse wide in search of the better ground he clearly needs.  Anibale Fly could be interesting if making it back to Aintree in 2019 on good or good to soft ground.
The 2018 race though was all about one horse; Tiger Roll. The winner of the Triumph Hurdle over two miles back in 2014 has gone on to win the National Hunt Chase over four miles in 2017 and a Cross Country Chase over three miles six furlongs as well as recording victories on good ground right through to this victory on heavy ground. This Grand National victory is all the more remarkable given he is not the biggest horse in training by any measure, but he is definitely one of the bravest and one of the most well-loved.

Finishers
1	Tiger Roll	8	10-13	Gordon Elliott	Davy Russell	10/1
2	Pleasant Company	10	10-11	Willie Mullins	David Mullins	25/1
3	Bless The Wings	13	10-6	Gordon Elliott	Jack Kennedy	40/1
4	Anibale Fly	8	11-8	Tony Martin	Barry Geraghty	10/1
5	Milansbar	11	10-6	Neil King	Bryony Frost	25/1
6	Road To Riches	11	10-5	Noel Meade	Sean Flanagan	33/1
7	Gas Line Boy	12	10-11	Ian Williams	Robert Dunne	25/1
8	Valseur Lido	9	11-7	Henry de Bromhead	Keith Donoghue	66/1
9	Vieux Lion Rouge	9	10-13	David Pipe	Tom Scudamore	25/1
10	Raz De Maree	13	10-9	Gavin Cromwell	Robbie Power	20/1
11	Seeyouatmidnight	10	10-12	Sandy Thomson	Brian Hughes	11/1
12	Baie Des Iles	7	10-8	Ross O’Sullivan	Katie Walsh	16/1
Did Not Complete:
BD	Saint Are	12	10-10	Tom George	Ciaran Gethings	50/1
BD	Blaklion	9	11-10	Nigel Twiston Davies	Sam Twiston Davies	14/1
FELL	Houblon Des Obeaux	11	10-7	Venetia Williams	Charlie Deutsch	25/1
FELL	Perfect Candidate	11	11-3	Fergal O’Brien	Alain Cawley	50/1
FELL	Final Nudge	9	10-06	David Dennis	Gavin Sheehan	33/1
FELL	Alpha Des Obeaux	8	11-4	Mouse Morris	Rachel Blackmore	33/1
FELL	I Just Know	8	10-8	Sue Smith	Danny Cook	14/1
FELL	Virgilio	9	10-8	Dan Skelton	Harry Skelton	50/1
UR	Lord Windermere	12	10-7	Jim Culloty	Andrew Lynch	25/1
UR	Ucello Conti	10	10-10	Gordon Elliott	Daryl Jacob	16/1
UR	Buywise	11	10-8	Evan Williams	Adam Wedge	50/1
UR	Captain Redbeard	9	10-7	Stuart Coltherd	Sam Coltherd	20/1
UR	The Dutchman	8	10-11	Colin Tizzard	Harry Cobden	20/1
PU	Maggio	13	10-8	Patrick Griffin	Brendan Powell	66/1
PU	Double Ross	12	10-06	Nigel Twiston Davies	Tom Bellamy	66/1
PU	Tenor Nivernais	11	11-1	Venetia Williams	Tom O’Brien	66/1
PU	Carlingford Lough	12	11-1	John E Kiely	Mark Walsh	33/1
PU	Thunder And Roses	10	10-05	Mouse Morris	JJ Slevin	33/1
PU	Pendra	10	10-8	Charlie Longsdon	Aidan Coleman	80/1
PU	The Last Samuri	10	11-8	Kim Bailey	David Bass	16/1
PU	Chase The Spud	10	10-12	Fergal O’Brien	Paddy Brennan	33/1
PU	Warriors Tale	9	10-12	Paul Nicholls	Sean Bowen	33/1
PU	Total Recall	9	11-5	Willie Mullins	Paul Townend	7/1F
PU	Shantou Flyer	8	11-2	Richard Hobson	James Bowen	20/1
PU	Childrens List	8	10-8	Willie Mullins	Jonathan Burke	66/1
PU	Delusionofgrandeur	8	10-5	Sue Smith	Henry Brooke	50/1