Cheltenham: ‘Real honour’ to sculpt life-size Tiger Roll statue, says artist

The artist behind a life-size statue of retired horse Tiger Roll has said it is a “real honour” to sculpt the five-time Cheltenham winner.

In advance of this week’s Cheltenham Festival, the first to take place since the 13-year-old thoroughbred was retired, sculptor Paul Ferriter says it is “quite special” to spend time with the horse in owner Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House grounds.

“I like that part of the job, to be close to Tiger Roll, taking measurements, hearing him breathe and touching him,” says Ferriter. “It’s quite special ... and obviously I hope that that will come across in the sculpture in the end.”

Ferriter, who has also sculpted War of Attrition and Don Cossack, two other O’Leary horses, explains how the Ryanair chief executive wanted something different this time around.

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“He [O’Leary] wanted me to do a kind of a walking pose this time with his head bowed. It’s quite beautiful, because he’s in movement, as opposed to the classic standing pose for a horse.

“He’s not very big, but I think there’s something beautiful about the small winner, isn’t there? He’s a lovely looking horse.”

The statue was commissioned last year and will be completed in the coming months.