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Tiger Roll skips Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse

Tiger Roll will contest Thursday's Betway Bowl at Aintree over 3m1f
Tiger Roll will contest Thursday's Betway Bowl at Aintree over 3m1f

The Paul Nolan-trained Latest Exhibition heads the weights for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday after Tiger Roll was taken out of the race at the final declaration stage.

The dual Grand National hero will head back to Aintree instead next week for the Betway Bowl.

The 11-year-old returned to top form at Cheltenham when running out an easy winner of the cross country chase, his third victory in the race.

However, he had already been scratched from the Randox Grand National as his connections felt his handicap mark was "unfair".

Tiger Roll's owners Gigginstown House Stud have four Irish National runners – Coko Beach, Mortal, Run Wild Fred and Roaring Bull – plus one of the three reserves, Eurobot.

The absence of Tiger Roll has meant an 11lb rise in the weights, with Latest Exhibition set to carry 11st 10lb.

The eight-year-old steps into handicap company for the first time after finishing second to Monkfish in two Grade One contests at Leopardstown over the winter. He sidestepped another clash with Willie Mullins’ exciting prospect at last month’s Cheltenham Festival to wait for this weekend and is the 7-1 joint-favourite along with The Big Dog with the sponsors. 

Mullins is well-represented with a team of five – Brahma Bull, Salsaretta, Agusta Gold, Dragon D’estruval and Robin De Carlow.

Escaria Ten, third in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at Cheltenham, is one of four contenders for Denise Foster.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Jerrysback is the only English runner.

Watch live coverage of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 2.30pm on Sunday and Monday.

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