Tiger Roll and Delta Work Head Grand National 2020 Weights

The Grand National 2020 weights have been revealed. Tiger Roll and Delta Work have been handed joint top weight of 11st 10lb for the renewal. Delta Work is unlikely to run as his aim is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. That leaves Tiger Roll as sole top weight as he bids for a third Grand National title in three years.

A total of 10 horses have been allocated 11st or more for the race. While not all are definite runners in the race, some of those could take their chance.

They include two horses who will be heading to the Cheltenham Gold Cup first, Bristol De Mai and Native River. Both horses look the ideal types for the National but have previously put all their focus on the Gold Cup and avoided the National.

There is still a question mark over Native River’s participation. His owners are not too sure whether they want to run him in the Grand National but the weights reveal may have swayed them.

Carrying 11st 6lb he would get weight from both Tiger Roll and Bristol De Mai. It’s a surprise considering he has proven his stamina by winning the Welsh National, and he won the Gold Cup in 2018.

Burrows Saint could be the main hope for Irish handler Willie Mullins. After his success in the Irish National and he has been allotted 10st 10lb for the race. Another Irish runner, Magic Of Light, who finished second last year, has been handed 10st 12lb this year in a bid to go one better.

Walk In The Mill was the first British runner home in 2019 when he finished 4th in the race. He has been handed 10st 4lb for his second crack at the race. He also won the Becher for a second consecutive year in December 2019.

Another British runner who will be happy with the weight he has is Definitly Red for Brian Ellison. He has run in the race before but has been mixing it in graded company since. Back in a handicap, he has been given 10st 10lb for the 2020 race. He will have one run before the race as a final fitness push at the end of this month, either at Kelso or Doncaster.

When One For Arthur won the race back in 2017 he was rated 148 and that is exactly the same rating as he has right now. He has been handed the nice racing weight of 10st 2lb but connections haven’t confirmed if he will now run. He suffered heart fibrillation last time out and while he is perfectly fine now, he will be monitored over the next few weeks.

Now the weights are out, it is time for horses to show their true colours. Any runs from now on do not give horses penalties as the weights are fixed. Horses can run as well as they like without fear of going up in the handicap. But can any of them really challenge Tiger Roll?

The short is yes. Tiger Roll has had his own issues this season and will go to Cheltenham first. Any blip there could leave the 2020 Grand National door wide open for a new challenger. And there are plenty of them!