History is on hold for 12 months as Tiger Roll must wait for his shot at glory

Jim Bowen was better at this bit than me. Take a look at what he could have won: half-a-million in prize-money; the first horse since Red Rum to win three Grand Nationals; the only one to win a hat-trick; undisputed status as the world's most famous horse; a fourth Grand National for his trainer and owner, plus a third for his jockey; another homecoming hooley in Summerhill; appearances on news bulletins; worldwide fame; possible retirement.

You could never beat a bit of Bully and, around Aintree, they have yet to beat Tiger Roll. This was supposed to be a Saturday shaking with possibility, the prospect of history happening before our very eyes. Forty-seven years have passed since Red Rum gobbled up Crisp. He went on to win his third Grand National in 1977, back when euros were punts, phones had wires and Ipswich Town were qualifying for UEFA Cups.

This is 2020. The year of the rat in China, the year of the Tiger in racing. The build-up to the biggest day in the modern history of our sport was cranked up a notch at Navan in February with a perfectly plausible return to action in the Boyne Hurdle. Yes, he was beaten at odds-on when unable to claim a fifth Cheltenham success in the cross-country, but there was no shame in finding Easysland too good. He was four years younger.