Eddie O'Leary: Tiger Roll would never have won a Grand National if the Cross Country was a handicap

Gigginstown House Stud's Eddie O'Leary believes the legendary Tiger Roll would have "disappeared" well before his Grand National exploits had the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival not been changed to a conditions race in 2016.

It was revealed in the Racing Post this week that the Cross Country will revert to being a handicap in 2025, while the Turners Novices' Chase will lose its Grade 1 status and also become a handicap.

O'Leary has voiced his opposition to changing the Cross Country and is adamant that Tiger Roll, one of the most popular jumps horses in recent times, would never have won at Aintree had the race been a handicap during his career.

"I have a massive issue with the Cross Country being turned into a handicap," he said. "It used to be a handicap and it was dying on its feet – it was a diabolical race.

"It wasn't even worth watching before they turned into a conditions race but it's become a fantastic race since. There wouldn't be a Tiger Roll if the Cross Country had been a handicap. He was on the way out and it got him back and he won two Grand Nationals afterwards."

Gigginstown have been the dominant owner on the cross-country scene in recent years, with the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Tiger Roll (2018, 2019, 2021) and Delta Work (2022, 2023) landing five of the last six runnings of the Cheltenham race.

The race has been deemed effective in getting horses prepared for the Grand National, with Tiger Roll taking the Cross Country before his National triumphs in 2018 and 2019.

Delta Work finished runner-up in last season's National, while Minella Indo and Galvin, who finished third and fourth at Aintree, had also competed in the cross-country discipline in the lead-up, although they couldn't contest the Cheltenham race as it was abandoned due to waterlogging.

Delta Work (right) and Tiger Roll battle it out in the 2022 Cross Country ChaseCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

O'Leary added: "With all the good horses who have won it in recent years, it's become one of the races of the festival. They have the handicaps in November and January, so work away with that, but surely we need the best horses at the festival."

He maintains that the Cross Country provides an ideal opportunity for seasoned chasers to rediscover some form.

"These horses would be lapped in Gold Cups. The likes of Delta Work, Tiger Roll, Minella Indo, where are they going to go? You can't go to the Gold Cup because they're simply not good enough anymore," he said.

"They enjoy it and it reinvigorates them. Tiger Roll would have disappeared without the Cross Country and he would never have run in it if it was a handicap."

Gigginstown and Elliott have also had plenty of success in the Turners with Shattered Love (2018) and Samcro (2020), while Willie Mullins saddled Sir Des Champs to victory in the maroon and white silks in 2012, when it was a Grade 2.

O'Leary is content with the race losing its Grade 1 status and becoming a handicap, explaining that the novice handicap chase run at the meeting from 2005 to 2020 was a highly competitive race.

He added: "I have no issue with the Turners being a handicap because when it was a handicap it was a very good race and had a good record. It produced stars like A Plus Tard.

"If it has a limit of 145 or 150, the better horses will go to the two-mile or three-mile Grade 1. If you have a horse rated 145 and the ceiling is 150, you could easily run in that and go on to the Grade 1 at Aintree."

Read these next:

Turners Novices' Chase to become novice handicap in revamped Cheltenham Festival programme 

Bookmakers set to refund ante-post bets on Turners Novices' Chase in wake of Cheltenham Festival changes 

We could have had Vautour v Un De Sceaux in an Arkle so I'm all for turning the Turners into a handicap 

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