Tiger Roll wins 2018 Grand National in dramatic finish at Aintree

Ridden by experienced jockey Davy Russell, he managed to hold on to win by a head for trainer Gordon Elliott in one of the most exciting finishes to the historic races in recent years.

The Grand National always draws up fairytale stories and this year’s 171st renewal was no exception as Tiger Roll was the smallest horse in the race and had the oldest jockey Russell on board. But it was a partnership which delivered and in such dramatic fashion much to the delight of the Aintree crowd.

The Irish completed a clean sweep of the top four with Bless The Wings in third and Anibale Fly in fourth, while Bryony Frost – one of three female jockeys in the race – had a great run on Milansbar to finish in fifth.

The eight-year-old winner, who has won the Triumph Hurdle, National Hunt Chase and Cross-Country at the Cheltenham Festival in recent years, had come into the race well-fancied and was well in contention throughout before surging clear of the rest of the field late on. Tiger Roll even swept past Pleasant Company with ease at the last fence and was six lengths clear with a furlong to run, and was seemingly set to be one of the race’s most comfortable winners of recent times.

But Aintree’s famously long run-in to the line has often been the undoing of horses that have led over the last fence and it had one more twist in store. With 150 yards to run, Tiger Roll began to visibly tire while Pleasant Company found a new lease of energy and, scenting victory, began to a fast and frantic surge to the line and the leader.

In the last few desperate strides the winning post arrived just in time as the pair flashed past the line together, with Tiger Roll just nicking it. Had the race been a further few strides, Pleasant Company would have won by around half a length such was the speed with which he was finishing.

The last gap success of Tiger Roll provided a second win in the race for Elliott, who guided Silver Birch to victory in 2007 and also trained the third-placed Bless The Wings, whilst the victory represented a second National winner in three years for Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary.