Bowen excited as he gets the chance to team up with National legend Tiger Roll

YOU know the calibre of day in store when you’ve got a race featuring a two-time Grand National winner and a Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and it’s not even the main event.

Twenty minutes before the Betfair Tingle Creek, all eyes will be fixed on the Unibet Many Clouds Chase (2.05) at Aintree, where National legend Tiger Roll makes his seasonal comeback against a host of classy rivals including 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River.

It will be a return to the scene of his greatest triumphs for Tiger Roll, who did not try to emulate Red Rum by winning a third Grand

National last season after owners Gigginstown House Stud took issue with his handicap mark.

Instead he ran in the Betway Bowl, in which he finished fourth behind Clan Des Obeaux, beaten 92 lengths.

On a day when his beloved National course will be deployed for the Becher Chase, Tiger Roll again tackles regulation fences and has a new partner with James Bowen booked to ride.

You’d imagine Bowen could hardly speak when he got the call to ride Tiger Roll – except there was no call.

“No-one rang me, I just saw my name next to him at declarations and thought, ‘Cool, I’m riding Tiger Roll’,” he said. “Dave Roberts [agent] sorted it all out, so I’ve probably got to thank him, and I’m really excited about it. I rode in one of the Nationals he won [in 2018] but I was so far behind him I didn’t see his backside.”

Bowen has some National pedigree himself, his victory in the 2018 Welsh Grand National on Raz De Maree at the age of 16 making him the youngest jockey to win the Chepstow showpiece, and he has ridden for Tiger Roll’s connections before, including in the

Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle as a 7lb claimer.

Of his big date with Tiger Roll, he said: “I’m not sure what to expect, I’ll have a chat with Gordon [Elliott] and see what he thinks.

“His rating is right up there to be among it, but whether he’s worth that we don’t really know and he’s obviously a better horse around the National fences.”

Native River, on the other hand, has proved his suitability to this test, winning the race two years ago and also landing the Grade 1 Mildmay Novice Chase in 2016.

He was third last season, three lengths behind winner Lake View Lad, when unsuited by the fences in the home straight being taken out due to low sun.