Gordon Elliott described Tiger Roll‘s victory in Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree as “unbelievable”.
The Cullentra handler, who enjoyed his first taste of National success in the race 11 years ago through Silver Birch, faced an anxious few seconds as Davy Russell guided Tiger Roll over the line just ahead of Pleasant Company as Willie Mullins‘ charge was gaining fast.
The National win added to three Cheltenham Festival triumphs for Tiger Roll who was immediately put on board a ferry back to Ireland on Saturday evening.
And, having had time to digest the win, Elliott told Racing UK at his yard on Sunday morning: “I suppose when you go out in the yard this morning and see all the lads and there’s a bit of a buzz about the place, it starts to sink in a bit.
“I was very, very lucky (with Silver Birch). It was my first year of training and I hadn’t even a winner trained in Ireland at the time. To win a National, I probably thought it was all very easy.
“But now, with all the water that has gone under the bridge and all the ups and downs of the game, to win another one is unbelievable.
“He (Tiger Roll) has come home and he’s a bit tired this morning, but he’s OK, thank God.”
“To win three different races at the Cheltenham Festival and then go on and win an English National, it’s just unbelievable. If he never does another thing for us he doesn’t owe us much,” Elliott added.
“He’s a bit of a character and he probably is a real favourite in the yard. All the kids that come in at the weekend, this is the horse they can ride the whole time because he’s so quiet. He starts and stops.”
