Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud team could have up to five runners in next Saturday’s Aintree Grand National.
The triple-Cheltenham festival hero Tiger Roll is already among the market leaders for the world’s most famous steeplechase and he could be joined in Liverpool by up to four others owned by the Ryanair boss.
However they won’t include the Noel Meade-trained A Genie In Abottle who sadly was found dead in his box on Friday.
“We’ve no idea what happened. He was okay this morning and dead in his box at lunchtime. It’s just one of those things,” said the Gigginstown’s spokesman, Eddie O’Leary.
He added: “Hopefully Tiger Roll will run and Alpaha Des Obeaux. Thunder And Roses might run because he fell at the seventh in Fairyhouse and so had no race.
“Valseur Lido may run too, and Road To Riches. Hopefully the place [Aintree] might help him find his mojo.”
O’Leary also didn’t rule out the chance that last season’s champion conditional jockey, Rachael Blackmore, will ride for Gigginstown in the National.
Blackmore has ridden Alpha Des Obeaux already this season and has ridden regularly for his trainer, Mouse Morris.
“There’s nothing definite but Rachael is unbelievably good and we’d love to have her ride something in the race,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary won the Aintree National with Rule The World two years ago and earlier this week landed the Irish National at Fairyhouse with the 20-1 shot, General Principle.
