Tiger Roll has been ruled out of seeking a third Grand National win in April with owner Michael O'Leary saying his allocated weight is "absurd".

But Ryanair boss O'Leary said it was a "ridiculous" rating.

The horse could be retired after bidding for a sixth Cheltenham Festival success next month, he said.

• All the Grand National weights

The National is a handicap chase where weights are allocated according to each runner's rating.

O'Leary, boss of owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: "We don't believe it is fair or safe to ask him to carry close to top weight at the age of 12.

"Since we are responsible for the welfare of Tiger Roll, we must protect him from the idiotic opinion of this handicapper

"We therefore regret to announce that he will not run in this year's Aintree Grand National.

"Instead Tiger Roll will be trained for the Cross Country race in Cheltenham, and there is every likelihood that win, lose or draw, this will be his last racecourse appearance."

Handicapper Martin Greenwood said he had "relented" by dropping Tiger Roll's rating.

"As I keep telling people, you can't just ignore his win in the Cross Country at Cheltenham last season which was less than 12 months ago when he easily defeated two good horses in Easysland and Some Neck," added Greenwood.

Tiger Roll's trainer Gordon Elliott initially seemed content when the weights were announced on Tuesday.

"He has a nice weight so the Grand National could be on the agenda," said Elliott before O'Leary's intervention.

Tiger Roll was only the second horse after record-breaking triple winner Red Rum - whose second triumph in 1974 came under 12st - to secure back-to-back Grand National wins.

There was no race in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic and Tiger Roll was pulled out from last year's contest in March because of what the owners called "an unfair weight" of 11st 9lb.

He won carrying 10st 13lb in 2018 and 11st 5lb a year later.

O'Leary said Tiger Roll could have been saddled with up to 4lb more than three years ago if the weights rose because stablemates Galvin and Conflated did not run.

The decision to withdraw last year came in the days after a photo appeared on social media of Elliott sitting on a dead horse, for which he was given a six-month ban.

There are 104 entries at this stage for the 174th running of the race on 9 April, although a maximum of 40 will line up on the day.

Former Welsh National winners Potters Corner and Secret Reprieve are listed at 86 and 87, so highly unlikely to run.

Last year's Midlands Grand National winner Time To Get Up, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, is out after failing to run in enough races over fences to qualify,

Grand National - approximate odds: 14-1 Galvin 16-1 Any Second Now, Run Wild Fred, Snow Leopardess 20-1 Conflated, Minella Times 25-1 Burrows Saint, Death Duty, Eklat de Rire, Escaria Ten, Farclas, Mount Ida, Noble Yeats 33-1 Bar

Trainer Henry de Bromhead questioned the weight - up 15lb from 2021 - for Minella Times who helped make history last year as Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to triumph.

"Going on his form this year I'm surprised he got increased," he said of the horse who fell at Punchestown in December and was pulled up at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Charlie Longsdon was happy after his contender Snow Leopardess, bidding to become the first grey mare to win the race, was given 10st 3lb.

At 57 on the list, the trainer is hopeful she will make the cut after other horses are withdrawn nearer the time.

Snow Leopardess returned to racing in November 2019, having given birth to a foal during a two-year absence from the track and won the Becher Chase over the National fences in December.

"With her being a mum, it is the sort of story I can see people really latching onto over the next couple months," said Longsdon.