The last dance: Tiger Roll bids to bow out on a high back where it all began

Wednesday: 4.10 Cheltenham
Glenfarclas Chase (A Cross Country Chase) | 3m6f | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

Eight years after announcing his mercurial talent with a Triumph Hurdle success that was loaded with significance, Tiger Roll returns to Cheltenham for a swansong that promises to bookend his incredible career with another conspicuous victory.

When Davy Russell coolly guided Gordon Elliott's diminutive son of Authorized home on Gold Cup day in 2014, it was the opening act on a harum-scarum afternoon of high drama. Russell went on to edge a contentious edition of the Gold Cup courtesy of an inspired steer on Lord Windermere, before completing a treble on Savello in the Grand Annual.

Sacked by Michael O'Leary on New Year's Eve, the three-time champion was replaced by Bryan Cooper, who suffered a horrendous leg fracture when Clarcam fell in the Fred Winter on the Wednesday.

Having had the good sense to bite his tongue and let his riding do the talking in the interim, Russell had left the door open for O’Leary to call on him again. With Cooper broken up, he was duly summonsed.

The dominant Triumph Hurdle victory that followed was the first time he rode Tiger Roll.

Gordon Elliott was delighted to see Tiger Roll messing about at Cheltenham on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Few would have predicted then that it would be the initial chapter in a saga more extraordinary than what unfolded throughout that day, but together they have conspired to conjure one of the most spectacular and enduring racehorse careers of modern times.

Of course, Lisa O'Neill and Keith Donoghue also played starring roles on Tiger Roll at Prestbury Park. However, with Donoghue having moved on from Elliott's since last year's bombastic 18-length defeat of Easysland, opportunity has knocked once more for Russell to step in.

It feels apt. Together, they have seized a famous slice of history with those two epic Grand National wins. Sadly, the quest for a third never materialised, with the pandemic first intervening and then a fairly toxic dispute over the horse's handicap mark denying racing fans the seismic prospect.

His Aintree legacy is nonetheless secure, and Russell being reunited with his old ally here provides some neat symmetry. It is just the fifth time he has ridden the 12-year-old in a race, so their iconic association is remarkably exclusive.

If they can fashion one last moment of magic, it will bring the house down. Much like last year, when Sneezy Foster held the licence at Cullentra, Tiger Roll arrives back in the Cotswolds on the back of some indifferent runs.

He never challenged when beaten 31 lengths in a Navan handicap hurdle in January, but Elliott has been adamant that it was only ever about getting him back to fever pitch for this. At every remove, he has sounded confident that he would do so, and he was thrilled with the way the horse galloped at Leopardstown last week.

Now, the time has come for Tiger Roll to vindicate his trainer's conviction. If he wins, not only will he be retired in a blaze of glory, he will join Quevega as a six-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival.

That would be a suitably illustrious distinction that would embellish an already stellar CV.

Somewhat curiously, the market reckons the main danger to Tiger Roll comes from within Cullentra. Delta Work's star has fallen in the world of conventional chasing so the thinking is that the switch to this novelty discipline might rejuvenate him.

Nonetheless, it would be a bizarre denouement if he were to rain on Tiger Roll's parade in the second Gigginstown silks.

"What can I say about Tiger Roll that hasn't been said already? He's just an absolute star," Elliott said on Tuesday. "He seems to be in great form and having the sun on his back over here for the last couple of days and put a real pep in his step. It would be unbelievable if the fairytale comes true. He couldn't be in any better form anyway.

"Delta Work seems to enjoy this sort of test and he is the class act in the race. Alpha Des Obeaux ran well in this race last year and will need to come back to that sort of level to have an each-way squeak this year."

Enda Bolger, the most successful trainer in this race with five wins, relies on Prengarde, Shady Operator and Midnight Maestro, while the 2020 hero Easysland now runs for Jonjo O'Neill. Diesel D'Allier, who chinned the reopposing Potters Corner here in December, is also back for more.

They have all got chances, but it feels like they might have to push back the tide of destiny to prevail.

Trust Tiger Roll to win if the rain stays away

This can be boiled down pretty simply to two scenarios depending on what the ground is like. If the rain stays away and the ground stays on the better side, Tiger Roll will win, just as he did 12 months ago.

If the rain which is forecast does arrive, it blows the race wide open, and Gordon Elliott's five-time festival winner and dual Grand National hero could struggle to bow out with a victory.

He may not be getting any younger, his form this season has been moderate, but that is more or less an irrelevance when Tiger Roll rocks up to the Cross Country at Cheltenham as this is the discipline at which he comes alive over.

Tiger Roll: has won the Cross Country Chase three timesCredit: Edward Whitaker

He proved that 12 months when romping to an 18-length romp over Easysland despite arriving at Cheltenham off the back of a stinking campaign.

Elliott could have the heir to Tiger's throne in Delta Work, a multiple Grade 1-winning chaser who tackles this sphere for the first time, but no amount of schooling could prepare him to succeed at his first attempt at this contest.

JP McManus has a four-strong hand, of which 2020 winner Easysland has the biggest profile, but Enda Bolger's Midnight Maestro and Shady Operator come here in better form after coming home first and second in that order in a similar race at Punchestown recently.

Bolger will also be represented by recent French recruit Prengarde. However, he could be opposable after a low-key run over hurdles on his only start for Bolger thus far.

In short, this is all about Tiger Roll. If the rain stays away he should be hard to beat. If the rain comes, a horse like Shady Operator may well be the value.

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Brahma Bull
It's going to be a tough ask, but he's schooled well.

Richard Bandey, trainer of Diesel D'Allier
He's nice and fresh, he's such a specialist we didn't think there was a lot of point in running him again over regulation fences after his win here. There are a lot of top horses in there and he's got to find 20lb with Tiger Roll and Easysland but if he's in the first five we'll be over the moon.

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Easysland
He hasn't shown much interest in a couple of hurdle races, which is a bit disappointing. But we gave him a pop round Cheltenham the other day and it sparked him up a bit. Whether that's enough or not I don't know, but it's a specialists' race and he's won it before. He's in grand form.

Enda Bolger, trainer of Prengarde, Shady Operator and Midnight Maestro
Prengarde only joined us at the beginning of January from France so he is still acclimatising really. He had very good form in France and we got a run into him at Naas. He's as good as we can have him but he is only a six-year-old. I'm hoping for a good run but it's not easy for a horse to move like he has in the middle of winter. There was only a whisker between Shady Operator and Midnight Maestro at Punchestown. They'll give a good account of themselves and I couldn't separate them, but this is a good race.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Plan Of Attack and Poker Party
It's Poker Party's first go over the course and Rachael [Blackmore] will try to nurse him around. Plan Of Attack has some really good runs at Cheltenham and hopefully he can produce another one here. He seems to love the place.

Wednesday's Cheltenham Festival previews:

1.30 Cheltenham: 'It is ours to lose' – can anything stop the might of Sir Gerhard in Ballymore?

2.10 Cheltenham: star novices Bravemansgame, L'Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor clash in thriller

2.50 Cheltenham: can The Shunter land the Coral Cup after switching back to hurdles?

3.30 Cheltenham: 'This is going to be the biggest test of Shishkin's life' says Nicky Henderson

4.50 Cheltenham: can Andy Dufresne unlock sky-high potential for Gordon Elliott in Grand Annual?

5.30 Cheltenham: who will be crowned the bumper king? Facile Vega and American Mike face off

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