2022 Grand National

Re the entry conditions, Samcro has until 22 March to meet them. Time To Get Up has not been allotted a weight as he fails the running in six chases rule which needed to have been met by 13 February at the latest. Quite why the two dates are different is anyone’s guess.

This year’s entry conditions are reproduced below:

RACE CONDITIONS £1,000,000 guaranteed For 7yo+ which, prior to March 22nd, have started in a chase during the current season, and have been placed first, second, third or fourth in a chase with an official distance description of ‘two miles seven and a half furlongs’ or more, at any time during the horse’s career. Horses must be also allotted a rating of 125 or more by the BHA Handicapper following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including February 13th. Horses which are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain or Ireland at closing may also be entered. Such horses may be eligible for a weight providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse’s racecourse performances up to and including February 13th would merit a minimum rating of 125. To qualify, horses must have run at least six times in chases run under the Rules of Racing of a Recognised Racing Authority up to and including February 13th. At the Handicapper’s discretion, such horses may be allotted a rating.

I’ve always assumed the early entries and the big fanfare about the weights is to build up publicity and a “narrative” in the lead-up to the race. It can lead to some strange outcomes, but I like the long build-up.

In addition to the non-qualification of Time To Get Up, it seems that Brace Yourself, Double Shuffle and The Big Dog are all down as non-runners already.

I was out and about this afternoon and got a text alert that O’Leary was fuming again about Tiger Roll’s weight.
I assumed that he’d been handed 11-9 or 11-8. You know, something befitting a dual Grand National winner who won a race at the Cheltenham Festival by 18 lengths less than a year ago.
Now I’ve seen the weights and it’s confirmed the long-held impression that the owner is a weapons-grade, 12-out-of-ten idiot.
What weight would have satisfied him? 11-0? 10-10?
And if he’d been allotted 10-10, and then won with his head in his chest, how crazy would that have looked?
It’s pathetic. I can’t think of another owner who would have behaved so ridiculously and made himself look such an utter fool as he has the last two years.

Probably not a popular opinion here, but I actually agree with the owner in this instance.

The horse was rated 159 when he last won the National, as a nine year old. Now three years older (so definitely in the veteran stage) and with a very patchy record since that success, how on Earth can the horse be rated two pounds higher?

Can anybody find any other example of a 12yo who has only had one win in the last three years- and that in a bloody cross country race- whose handicap mark is higher than it was three years previously?

They are presumably assessing him on his course form as well as his Festival form. He might not have an obvious winning chance with that weight, but then the handicapper should just be aiming to give him a level chance of winning compared to everyone else. I think that has been achieved.

I actually agree there is some debate to be had about whether it’s a fair weight. But it’s O’Leary’s usual bully-boy reaction and his straw man argument about horse welfare that I can’t stand. I’m not saying O’Leary is unconcerned about Tiger Roll’s wellbeing, but the horse’s handicap mark is not a welfare issue.

It is hardly the handicapper’s fault if the top weights are withdrawn and the weights go up.

One of the top weights is owned by O’Leary anyway.

O’Leary is being even more ridiculous than usual if he seriously thought the handicapper was going to give Tiger Roll less than 11 stone.

Joe Tizzard on Fiddlerontheroof…

“This has been the plan for Fiddlerontheroof since the Ladbrokes Trophy where he had a hard enough race. It was going to be too soon to go for a King George, then we talked about it and we thought he could have a live chance in a Grand National.

“We waited until the weights came out before we decided to run him again. We will run him at Ascot on Saturday in the three mile-handicap chase.

“I’m sure off 155 he would be competitive and he is a lovely jumper.”