Gordon Elliott urges Tiger Roll caution as road to Cheltenham continues

Navan Handicap Hurdle | 2m4f | 4yo+ | RTV

Gordon Elliott knows Tiger Roll better than anyone and while the spark is beginning to return to the dual Grand National winner on the gallops at Cullentra, he admitted the 12-year-old faces an uphill battle to be competitive in his first handicap hurdle start since 2016.

Tiger Roll must carry top weight, a burden Elliott has offset by using talented 7lb claimer Rob James, but cautioned that the Glenfarclas Chase over Cheltenham's cross-country fences was the ultimate target.

Elliott said: "We all know that Tiger Roll in the winter and Tiger Roll in the spring are two different horses and he has been beginning to spark back into life at home in the past few weeks. Having said that, he's 12 now and not getting any younger, so it's going to be a tough ask.

"The Boyne Hurdle has been a good race for him in the past but it's a week later this year and if the ground is heavy, I'm not sure if we'd like to run him on that so close to Cheltenham. We'll get this out of the way first and make a plan for him but we are training him for the cross-country at Cheltenham and we need to get a run into him here."

Elliott is also represented by Duffle Coat and Mars Harper with the trainer believing that the latter has the best chance of his trio.

He said: "Duffle Coat disappointed me the last time at Leopardstown and we are coming back in trip with him here. He never really grabbed a hold of the bridle at Leopardstown, so hopefully we can see a bit more from him here."

Elliott added: "I thought Mars Harper was our best chance. I was happy with him at Leopardstown. That was a good run and he never seems to run a bad race."

Tiger Roll may be the most famous national hunt horse in training but on the Kildare and Wicklow border in Dunlavin, there's only one horse the locals care about and that's Bread And Butter.

His trainer Helen Markham hasn't sent out a winner since Old Supporter won at Tramore back in August 2018 but she is busy plotting a giant killing at Navan.

"Never mind your cold list, I'm in the bloody freezer," Markham joked on Friday.

"You wouldn't believe the following this horse has. He's owned by a bunch of locals. I rode him into town this morning and everyone was stopping me to ask about Bread And Butter. Even yesterday, I had a big chat with my butcher about him. Everyone follows the horse."

And what is the chance of a small outfit like Markham's getting the better of some of the biggest names in jump racing on Saturday?

"It would be great," she added. "I only have Bread And Butter in training and I break a few horses in as well. I work hard and if he could pass the line in front it would be the thing dreams are made of."

Saturday's race previews:

1.25 Haydock: Jonbon 'in great form' ahead of Supreme prep run but will he justify the hype?

1.45 Ascot: 'If he can build on his last run he's got a great each-way chance'

2.00 Haydock: are Grade 1 ambitions justified for improving Tommy's Oscar?

2.35 Haydock: can Royale Pagaille defy huge weight concessions to defend Peter Marsh crown?

2.55 Ascot: 'No reason why he can't put up another good show' – key handicap chase quotes

3.35 Ascot: Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins on Saturday's big Clarence House clash

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