Tag Archive for: Haldon Gold Cup

JPR One gives Tizzard team yet more Haldon Gold Cup glory

/in /by

The Tizzard family’s love affair with the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup continued apace when JPR One oozed class at Exeter.

Having won the race as a jockey on Lake Kariba and Flagship Uberalles back-to-back in 1998 and 1999 for Paul Nicholls, Joe Tizzard then teamed up with his father Colin in 2012 with the brilliant Cue Card.

Brendan Powell partnered Eldorado Allen to victory in 2021 when Colin still held the licence and when Joe took over at the helm, Freddie Gingell rode Elixir De Nutz to an emotional success last year.

JPR One was a Grade Two-winning novice last season and has had this as his aim since coming back into training and those who backed him at 11-4 never had a moment of worry.

JPR One and jockey Brendan Powell proved a potent combination
JPR One and jockey Brendan Powell proved a potent combination (David Davies/PA)

Bryony Frost, on her return to the UK, tried unsuccessfully to make all on Sans Bruit and while Etalon and Scarface dropped away, Djelo began to get involved – but he was not travelling as easily as JPR One and Powell and went down by three-quarters of a length.

“He travelled so well and jumped. He’s my bright spark, I’m a bit emotional about it,” Joe Tizzard told Racing TV.

“You need the proper horses. We’ve had a lovely prep and it was always the plan to come here. This horse is the future and hopefully he takes us right to the top.

“From the new year onwards, this was the plan. The second half of last season, we didn’t get his ground; he ran well enough in the Arkle but didn’t get up the hill on the ground.

“He’s just got one kick, I think, and I said to ride him like the best horse in the race and he did that. He’s a good horse.

“He’ll get an entry in the Tingle Creek and we’ll see what the handicapper does, but I won’t get bullied into running him on the wrong ground, so I’ll manage him properly.”

Powell said on ITV Racing: “It’s been made fairly public that we have loved this horse for quite a long time now.

“He’s had his ups and downs, quite literally, but today he gave me the feel of what he can do. That was his first run and I’d like to think he can still improve.

“It’s good for everyone and the horses are in good form. He’s got one run at the finish, it doesn’t last very long, so you have to time it right.

“These races are hard to win, even if there are only five or six runners – we get up every morning for days like today.”

Joe Tizzard was delighted with JPR One
Joe Tizzard was delighted with JPR One (David Davies/PA)

Owner John Romans added: “He’s very good and he did it very well.

“Joe has been very nervous in the build-up, I’ve never seen him like that. Then he won the best turned out and everyone said it was bad news, but he jumped like a stag.

“I should think we might have a few glasses of champagne!”

Jpr One leads Haldon Gold Cup challenge for Tizzard

/in /by

Joe Tizzard is out to continue his family’s fortunes in Exeter’s BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase on Friday.

The contest has historically been lucky for the Tizzard family, as Joe has ridden the winner three times and his father Colin was the winning trainer twice, with the two combining to strike with the hugely popular Cue Card in 2012.

The licence moved into the former’s name in 2022 and the younger Tizzard did not waste much time taking the trophy as a trainer, saddling Elixir De Nutz to victory last season with nephew Freddie Gingell in the saddle.

This year the stable is represented by Jpr One and Scarface, who make up two of the six-strong field for the Grade Two event run over two miles and one and a half furlongs.

Jpr One won twice last season when beginning his chasing career, including a graded victory in the Lightning Novices’ Chase, and was unlucky not to take the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial in between times as a final-fence unseat put paid to his chance.

JPR One taking the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Lingfield last season
JPR One taking the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Lingfield last season (Adam Davy/PA)

Now stepping out of novice company the seven-year-old will be partnered as usual by Brendan Powell and carries a top-weight of 11st 12lb.

“This has been our target with him from day one this season, it’s something we were always talking about last year as a place for him to start,” said Tizzard.

“He’s had a lovely prep for the race and we’re really excited about running him again.

“He’s got top-weight, but he’s run right up to this mark in the past so there’s no reason he shouldn’t put in a really big performance.

“He’s gone well fresh in the past, he’s good first time out in the season. He’s fit and well and my horses have all being running well recently.

“The ground will be lovely for him, he loves a bit of decent ground and he didn’t really get it at the back end of last season.”

The same stable is represented by Scarface, who makes his second start of the term having got his campaign under way at Cheltenham in October with a fifth-placed run in a two-mile handicap.

“He had a good year last year, he was very consistent,” Tizzard said.

“He was just needing the run at Cheltenham at the start of the season, but there are not many runners and it’s a good chance to nick some decent prize-money.

“He’s fit and well, he’d need to run a lifetime best to win it, but there’s no reason why he couldn’t run a big race and nick a place.”

Venetia Williams’ Djelo also kicks off his campaign, with Dan Skelton responsible for Etalon and Heltenham.

Paul Nicholls will saddle last season’s Aintree victor Sans Bruit, who will be reunited with Bryony Frost as she travels across the Channel to take a ride outside of her retainer with the French-based ‘Double Green’ team of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Elixir De Nutz takes home Haldon Gold for Tizzard team

/in /by

Elixir De Nutz ran out a gutsy winner of the Betway Haldon Gold Cup for Joe Tizzard at Exeter.

Fit from a recent run at Chepstow, he was one of two runners in the race for Tizzard with stable jockey Brendan Powell riding War Lord.

That meant Freddie Gingell, Tizzard’s nephew, came in for the ride and he was positive from the outset on the grey.

A 13-2 chance for the Grade Two, Elixir De Nutz was kept handy and surged ahead as others were faltering around the final turn for home.

A game and accurate string of jumps saw him extend his lead on the run in to the line and though Paul Nicholls’ Solo gave chase, it was the young jockey who prevailed by three and a quarter lengths.

“That is unreal. A big thank you to Terry Warner (the horse’s owner) and his family and to Joe and Colin (Tizzard) as well,” Gingell said.

“I went in and schooled him on Wednesday and Joe said ‘where would you rather go, Fontwell or Exeter’. I said I would love to go to Exeter to ride him as it is a big race and Joe has won it a few times. Riding in it was a big thing, but I never thought this would happen.

“The plan was to get a good start and go from there as there were five other very good horses in it. He was a bit slow going to the first, but he then jumped the first and took off with me. He was jumping outside the wings every time I gave him a squeeze and asked him.

“Harry (Cobden on Solo) came upsides me turning in and I thought ‘I will see what happens’, but I managed to get a breather into him as I thought Harry was coming with a very big challenge now. I thought ‘I will keep plugging onto the line’, but I thought we might have got racing a bit too early.

“For a moment or two I couldn’t believe it happened. I looked around and thought did I just win it sort of thing then Brendan (Powell) came and patted me on the back and it then really started to hit me.

“It is a big day and the last three years haven’t been easy. I can’t thank them enough for supporting me as it has been a really tough time. I passed my driving test last Tuesday and I have ridden a few winners, so it is all going well.”

The victory also left triumphant trainer Tizzard, who won the race three times as a jockey aboard Lake Kariba (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Cue Card (2012), fighting back the tears in an emotional response to the win as Gingell is the son of his late sister Kim.

Tizzard said: “We said it after we left Ayr last year about going for the Haldon Gold Cup. I said he always needs his first run and that worked a treat. The race suited him today. We were a bit worried about the ground, but the trip and the track were perfect for him. It is emotional.

“That is as good a ride that I’ve seen Fred give a horse to be honest. I wanted to get him revved up to be positive on him. He is only 17 years old, but he asked him at every fence. It is lovely for Terry and his wife who have made it down as they don’t get to the races all the time.

“That’s why me and dad are a little bit emotional (because we are thinking of Kim), but he (Freddie) didn’t need a lot of help.

“Fred is part of the family so it is lovely. I’m proud of Fred. He is a 17-year-old boy and he is a 7lb claimer. He has got a great job with Paul (Nicholls), but we are trying to give him a chance in these bigger races.

“He is razor sharp and he is a good jockey. He gave him an absolute belter I thought. I’m chuffed to bits with him. He is riding with lots of confidence and that is what you need. He gave that a proper ride and I don’t think he could have ridden it any better. “