Tag Archive for: Joe Tizzard

The Changing Man ‘almost certainly’ heading for Ultima challenge

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Joe Tizzard expects The Changing Man to line up in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival next week, although the Brown Advisory has not been entirely ruled out just yet.

The eight-year-old has barely put a foot wrong all season, putting a fall in the Badger Beer Chase on debut firmly behind him when coming home the runner-up in a string of valuable handicap chases.

He ran a solid race in defeat each time and after those efforts he had the option of returning to novice company, a division he was still eligible to compete in as he did not win a chase last season.

The Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase was therefore his next port of call, where he claimed a Grade Two title by 24 lengths after the early departure of Nicky Henderson’s Jingko Blue.

That success means The Changing Man will lose his novice status at the end of the season and he holds an entry for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase next week, but the Ultima has been a long-held plan and remains the most likely option.

“We’ve left him in both, but the race we’re leaning towards the most is the Ultima,” said Tizzard.

“We’ve left our options open as the novice race is cutting up, I don’t think there’ll be many runners in the Brown Advisory, but the Ultima has been the plan for a while.

“He’s only going to be a novice for the next six weeks, so we’re giving ourselves the option, but it will almost certainly be the Ultima.”

Tizzard has another Festival hope in JPR One, who holds entries for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Grand Annual and the Ryanair.

The trainer considers the Grand Annual his most likely destination, but will monitor how the fields shape up elsewhere and make a final decision at the 11th hour.

“Again, we are keeping our options open,” he said.

“He’s going to have top-weight in the Grand Annual but I haven’t had a chance to really sit down with John (Romans, owner) and see what he wants to do.

“I think it’ll be the handicap, but you never know. In the last few days, horses do unfortunately drop out, so we’ll keep the option open for as long as we can.

“I’m loving the forecast for him, that’s for certain, he’ll get his ground. It’ll be a Sunday morning conversation with his owner and we’ll go from there.”



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‘Proper performance’ seals Rasen riches for Copperhead

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Copperhead’s renaissance continued as he did Joe Tizzard proud to land the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

The 11-year-old has been flourishing this term after a spell where he looked adrift when struggling to reach the heights of his novice years.

Tizzard considers a heavy fall in the 2020 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the cause of a complete loss of confidence, and the road to restoring his faith in his own ability has been a long one.

His connections did not stop believing, however, and this season their patience has finally begun to pay off with the chestnut returning in autumn in excellent form.

The Veterans’ Series has very much been the target and the gelding won legs at Chepstow and Aintree before finishing second by narrow margins at both Sandown and Cheltenham.

Under Freddie Gingell he was widely tipped to be the horse to beat in the final at Market Rasen, which was rerouted from its usual host track of Sandown and then again from Warwick after both meetings were lost due to the weather.

A well-known field of eight assembled for the race, worth over £38,000 to the winner, and after a smooth passage throughout it was Copperhead who came to the fore in the home straight.

Sam Brown, Anthony Honeyball’s evergreen 13-year-old, threw down an admirable challenge from the last to the line but Copperhead had more to offer still and prevailed by a length and a quarter.

“I’m just absolutely chuffed,” said Tizzard.

“I was genuinely pleased to get his head back in front at Plumpton in May, and it just shows that winning again has done him the world of good.

“He’s had a fantastic autumn and I was so glad they rearranged this because it is this horse’s Gold Cup.

“He had a horrible fall in the RSA in 2020 and he just completely lost his confidence, but Alan and Gill (Pritchard, owners) stuck with him.

“He showed signs of coming back and now he is back, that was a proper performance.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him, I’ve got more out of winning this with him than I do from plenty of other races.

“I’m really proud of Eldorado Allen as well (fourth), they have been fantastic horses for the yard and this means a lot to me.”



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Tizzard team vying for veterans’ victory

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Joe Tizzard has high hopes for stable stalwarts Copperhead and Eldorado Allen when they lock horns in the rearranged Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

The race has been rerouted to the Lincolnshire circuit after being beaten by the weather at Sandown and Warwick, and Tizzard is grateful the race was able to be saved.

Copperhead has enjoyed a stellar season and completed a hat-trick at Aintree in October. He has just been touched off on his last two starts, only headed by a neck by Numitor at Cheltenham last month, with Eldorado Allen behind him in third.

Joe Tizzard poses with Eldorado Allen
Joe Tizzard poses with Eldorado Allen (David Davies/PA)

Tizzard’s nephew Freddie Gingell will be back on board Copperhead at Market Rasen as he steps back up in trip from an extended two and a half miles to three miles.

Tizzard said: “He jumped and travelled really well and just got done for a bit of toe again, but ran a blinder. He’s having a cracking season and he’s loving these races for older horses.

“He’s really gained all of his confidence back. It’s a bit further again back at Market Rasen and he should run his race, which means he should be thereabouts.”

Eldorado Allen has been placed on both his starts this season following wind surgery in August and will again be fitted with cheekpieces.

Tizzard added: “He ran a lovely race (at Cheltenham), he got outpaced around halfway but stayed on well so we’ll just pop the cheekpieces back on him to make him concentrate mid-race.

“I wouldn’t like to split them, there is not too much between them, they’ve both been brilliant horses and I’m really pleased they’ve rearranged this race a couple of times.

“I might let Eldorado Allen have another go over the National fences, but drop back to the Topham. They’re in these veteran races and there’s plenty of them over two and a half and three miles and there’s good money, so we’ll just sort of concentrate on them really.”

Sam Brown will attempt to defend the crown he won for Anthony Honeyball last year when it was relocated to Warwick and will be boosted by conditional Chad Bament taking 10lb off the top-weight of 12st.

Honeyball said: “His third in the Charlie Hall sort of says he is running to a mark in the 150s there and if we run him off what is effectively 143, I don’t think he will have gone downhill overnight.

“I think if Chad and him get on well and have average luck, he has to be thereabouts.”

Elsewhere on the card, Fergal O’Brien is making no secret of the regard in which he holds Dream Shadow ahead of her bid for Listed success.

A £100,000 purchase after winning an Irish point-to-point in the spring of 2023, the six-year-old finished third on her bumper debut at Uttoxeter 12 months later before returning to the Staffordshire circuit to open her account in October.

Having missed a couple of potential outings since, Dream Shadow bids to follow in the hoofprints of her esteemed stablemate Dysart Enos by landing the the Unibet Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

“She’s a lovely mare and the owners have been extremely patient because we were meant to go to Cheltenham (in November) and the ground was a bit quick, and then we were meant to go somewhere else and she didn’t scope right,” said the Ravenswell Farm handler.

“She’s a been a bit frustrating for everyone, for us and the owners, but she’s a very good mare, we love her and hopefully she can reward their patience on Friday.

“You need a decent one to win this race, we think she’s good and her form is solid because our other one that finished second to her at Uttoxeter (Strong Run) went on to finish third at Cheltenham behind another one of ours (Siog Geal) that has won a hurdle race since.”

Charisma Cat winning at Warwick
Charisma Cat winning at Warwick (David Davies/PA)

Dream Shadow is unlikely to have things all her own way, with several talented rivals lying in wait.

Alan King is represented Charisma Cat, who has impressed in winning her two starts at Southwell and Warwick, while Dan Skelton saddles both Carlisle scorer Getawhisky and Settle Down Jill, who finished fourth in Cheltenham’s Listed bumper in November on what was her rules debut.

Queenofthejukebox (Noel Williams) and Smile Back (Richard Phillips) also feature in what promises to be an informative contest.



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JPR One camp game for Newbury challenge next

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JPR One could be seen next in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on February 8.

The talented Joe Tizzard-trained eight-year-old was third in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown last season, in a campaign during which he picked up Grade Two honours at Lingfield in January, having been particularly unlucky not to strike at the same level at Cheltenham in November.

He returned this term with victory over Djelo in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, before having a tilt at Jonbon in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

There, he raced with plenty of zest through the initial exchanges and was still in with a shout of second from the last before settling for an honourable third, with subsequent Grade One winner Solness immediately behind him.

Ascot on January 18 could come into the equation, but Newbury appears the more likely target.

Tizzard said: “He came out of Sandown fine – he travelled well, he just didn’t get up the hill in the ground.

“It was still probably one of his best ever runs and we will keep an eye on the Clarence House, but it is most likely he will go to Newbury for the Game Spirit before the festivals in the spring.

“There might be some nice horses going there, but I would like to run him on some nice ground before the spring.

“There is plenty of time between now and then and I will keep half an eye on the Clarence House just to see – we won it last year with Elixir De Nutz, but most likely he will go to Newbury.”



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Tizzard pair both holding claims to valuable veterans’ prize at Sandown

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Joe Tizzard appears to hold all the aces as he prepares to launch a two-pronged challenge on Sandown’s Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase with the resurgent Copperhead and stable stalwart Eldorado Allen.

The 11-year-olds have been part of the furniture at the Dorset yard and have played their part in many a good race over the years.

They now form an excellent hand for their trainer to play in this £100,000 contest, after a fine first half of the current campaign, finishing second and third respectively over what could be deemed an inadequate test of stamina at Cheltenham in December.

“I wouldn’t want to have to split them to be honest, they’ve both been excellent horses for the yard and are in wonderful form,” said Tizzard of their Sandown chances.

“I love these races and we love supporting them and on their Cheltenham runs they should have a great chance. It’s a big pot for older horses and I’m looking forward to them running.”

Eldorado Allen has placed in both starts this term, with Copperhead bagging an autumn hat-trick before hitting the crossbar the last twice.

Tizzard has been delighted to see him return to the form that once saw him a high-ranking novice chaser and is hopeful of a bold bid.

Copperhead has rolled back the years this season
Copperhead has rolled back the years this season (Nigel French/PA)

“Copperhead especially has turned a corner and is somewhere back to near his best,” continued Tizzard.

“I was really chuffed just to get him to win, to be honest, as he had been knocking on the door for the best part of 18 months and then soon as he won it just goes to show what he has always been capable of.

“He’s bloomed this autumn in these veteran races and they have suited him. He has grown in confidence and he’s ran some super races and there is no reason why he won’t run a massive race.”

Sam Brown rolled back the years to win this race for Anthony Honeyball 12 months ago when the race was redirected to Warwick and will shoulder top-weight when attempting to defend his title.

Sam Brown has been a top-class performer for Anthony Honeyball
Sam Brown has been a top-class performer for Anthony Honeyball (David Davies/PA)

However, he will have the assistance of conditional Chad Bament to remove 10lb and his trainer is using his third in the Charlie Hall earlier in the season as evidence another big display could be on the cards.

Honeyball said: “He’s been good and I’ve been really happy with him, he schooled well on Friday morning.

“Chad Bament schooled him and he had a nice canter round and a jump. I suppose with the 10lb off, if he goes and runs his race and at halfway he is lobbing along in the middle of them not under too much pressure, I think he would have to be bang there.

“His third in the Charlie Hall sort of says he is running to a mark in the 150s there and if we run him off what is effectively 143, I don’t think he will have gone down hill overnight.

“He never really got going last time in the Coral Gold Cup, but he seems to be in as good form as he was this time last year ahead of Warwick and all seems good at home. I think if Chad and him get on well and have average luck, he has to be thereabouts.

“We’ve been lucky to win the race twice now with both Sam Brown and Jepeck, so we’ve been fortunate and last time we were very lucky as Sam wasn’t quite ready for Sandown but it was abandoned and the extra week and it moving to Warwick helped us. We’re happy enough where we are with him this time though.”

Empire Steel is another to represent a yard with winning history in this contest with the Sandy Thomson team sending Seeyouatmidnight south to strike in 2021.

Henry Daly’s Fortescue was second to Copperhead at Aintree in October and is a course-and-distance scorer, while David Pipe won the inaugural running with Soll and now saddles Remastered who is an eight-time scorer and top chaser on his day, but has failed to complete the last twice.

Harry Fry’s Ask Me Early, Smarty Wild representing Philip Hobbs and Johnson White and Venetia Williams’ Chambard – a winner at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 – complete the field.



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Tizzard plotting Festival route for Western Knight

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Joe Tizzard’s Western Knight is set to run once more before taking aim at the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old has made an impressive start to his hurdling career this term, winning on debut at Uttoxeter and then following up at Ascot next time out.

Given an opening rating of 128 over hurdles, he stepped up in class and trip to contest a Grade Two three-mile heat at Cheltenham’s December meeting, acquitting himself well when second behind a more experienced horse in the French-trained Jet Blue.

The Albert Bartlett will be his target come the Cheltenham Festival in March, with the gelding pencilled in for one more run beforehand, as a trip to Doncaster is under consideration.

“He came out of Cheltenham really well, we’ve had an easy enough few weeks with him over Christmas and we’ll have a look at running him again in January,” said Tizzard.

“I thought he was fine with the trip, he got it really nicely, he just bumped into a nice French horse that had a few more runs under his belt.

“We were very pleased with him and think he’s definitely on an upward curve.

“The Albert Bartlett is the plan, he could go up to Doncaster or something like that and then have a crack at it.

“He’s an improving horse and he just seems to be getting better with every run.”



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Next target for JPR One not finalised just yet

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Joe Tizzard is weighing up the options as stable star JPR One looks to build on his Haldon Gold Cup success at either Sandown or Kelso.

The seven-year-old provided an emotional victory for his trainer on his last appearance when landing the feature race at Exeter on November 8, eventually finishing three-quarters of a length clear of Venetia Williams’ Djelo.

A second successive Haldon Gold Cup for Tizzard continued his family’s love affair with the Grade Two contest.

Having won the race as a jockey on Lake Kariba and Flagship Uberalles back-to-back in 1998 and 1999 for Paul Nicholls, 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 – his nephew – rode Elixir De Nutz to success last year.

Tizzard immediately turned his attention to a potential tilt at the Grade One Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 7, but he has now eyed up the lucrative Richard Landale Memorial Handicap Chase in Scotland the following day.

Keen to assess all possibilities before nailing his colours to the destination of JPR One’s next start, the Venn Farm handler said: “He’s good, he’s come out of it really well. I was delighted with that race and he’s ready to go again.

“We just prepared the horse and backed ourselves to get him ready first time out in that one, and hopefully he is seriously on the upgrade.

JPR One en route to victory in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter
JPR One helped trainer Joe Tizzard to a second successive Haldon Gold Cup earlier this month (David Davies/PA)

“I’ve got the option. He’s entered in there (Tingle Creek), I’ll confirm him on Monday and I will also enter him in Kelso next Sunday as well and just look at the races and weigh all the options up. I haven’t made a firm decision either way yet.”

On JPR One’s aspirations for the campaign, he added: “It depends on where he ends up.

“On official ratings, he’s still 16lb below Jonbon so it is whether I go and run him in another handicap and creep my way up through or I go and have a crack at it now and see where we are. I’m just going take as long as I need with it.”

A promising hurdler in Tizzard’s ranks is Western Knight, who made it two wins from two with an impressive display at Ascot last time out.

Following a three-quarters of a length triumph at Uttoxeter at the start of the month, the five-year-old stepped up in grade and trip at the Berkshire track, with Powell timing his challenge brilliantly to take the lead after the final fence and hold on for victory, pipping Nicky Henderson’s Excello by a head.

Tizzard has hinted at another run before the end of the year, with the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle lined up for Western Knight on December 14 at Cheltenham.

“He’s come out of Ascot really well, I think he’s a horse that is seriously progressive,” Tizzard said.

“Last season, he was growing and we couldn’t train him and we ran him at the end of the season, which I wish hadn’t now, but he’s starting to develop and it was a big improvement from Uttoxeter to Ascot. I think they’ve given him a mark of 128 or something like that and I think he fully deserves it.

“There’s more to come as he keeps improving and learning how to race and his jumping was much better on Saturday. He’s just a lovely young horse that’s going in the right direction.

“I wasn’t afraid to chuck him into it – a £25,000 race next time out – it just shows how pleased I was with him after Uttoxeter. It would have been easy to go in one with a penalty, but we thought we’d have a crack with him and he’s come out of it with flying colours.

“He’s a young horse who is learning on the track and progressing every time. There’s an option of stepping him up trip at Cheltenham in a couple of weeks’ time in the Albert Bartlett trial.

“He did two (mile) five and a half (furlongs) the other day and he galloped right through the line, but we are going to let the dust settle for a couple of days then decide.”



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JPR One gives Tizzard team yet more Haldon Gold Cup glory

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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!”



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Tizzard planning Exeter Gold run with JPR One

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Joe Tizzard is hoping to continue his family’s love affair with the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup after confirming JPR One will line up for the Exeter showpiece on November 8.

The Grade Two contest over two miles and a furlong has been a race close to the hearts of the Tizzard family, with Joe guiding Lake Kariba (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Cue Card (2012) to victory as a jockey.

The latter of those three triumphs was especially poignant as he rode Cue Card for his father Colin – whose licence he took over in the 2022-23 season – who also saddled 2021 winner Eldorado Allen.

Joe Tizzard celebrated his first victory as a trainer in last year’s renewal after Elixir De Nutz secured a three-and-a-quarter-length success under the hands of his nephew Freddie Gingell.

The Venn Farm handler aims to retain his crown with JPR One, who landed the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase honours on his penultimate start at Lingfield in January.

The seven-year-old won on his sole start at the west country track, where he beat 2024 Grand National victor I Am Maximus on debut in 2021, and Tizzard believes Exeter is the perfect venue for his reappearance.

“We try to plan for the Haldon Gold Cup every year if we’ve got something good enough for it,” Tizzard said.

“I was lucky enough to have won it three times as a jockey, twice for Paul (Nicholls) and once for dad with Cue Card. Dad also won it with Eldorado Allen and for me to win it last year with Freddie riding was very special.

“The plan this year is to take JPR One there for his first run of the season. He won his first race at Exeter, beating I Am Maximus and he has always been a gorgeous, athletic horse.

“He won a Grade Two for us last season and probably should have won two – he was unlucky at Cheltenham (when unseating at the last). He is rated 149. I could have gone to Cheltenham for a two-miler last weekend, but I said from the middle of last season that I wanted to start off at Exeter with him.

“If JPR One is going to take the next step, he needs to run a big race in the Haldon Gold Cup. We can then look at the Tingle Creek and going down that route.

“He is knocking on the door, but still has to do it to take the next step. If he is a graded horse, he should put up a bold show off 149 in the Haldon Gold Cup.”



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Copperhead takes Aintree gold for Tizzard

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Copperhead continues to roll back the years and brought up a hat-trick in decisive fashion in the Virgin Bet Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Aintree on Sunday.

Joe Tizzard’s Grade Two-winning chaser has been in imperious form of late and followed up a win at Plumpton in May by scoring at Chepstow earlier this month.

Made an 11-5 chance to strike again on Merseyside, the opposition had no answer once Freddie Gingell guided the 10-year-old past long-time front-runner Fortescue in the home straight before galloping on to win by 14 lengths.

Tizzard, speaking from Wincanton, said: “I was saddling up and wasn’t really able to watch it, but he looks to have won really nicely and has obviously got his confidence back.

“I’m so proud of the horse – I was chuffed with him last time and he’s gone and done it again!”

Copperhead will now be pointed towards the final of the Stayers’ Veterans’ Chase Series at Sandown in January.

Tizzard continued: “We will certainly aim at the final and I’m delighted for the horse to get back to somewhere near what he was before.

Copperhead in action on Merseyside
Copperhead in action on Merseyside (Nigel French/PA)

“He took a horrible fall in the RSA (at Cheltenham in 2020) and it took him a while to get over it, but he seems to have forgotten about it now and we’re away.

“Sandown and the final is the plan. He seems to be enjoying the good ground at the moment, but he’s qualified for the final, he stays well and he used to handle soft ground so we’ll aim in that direction.”

Jennie Candlish’s Skyjack Hijack was another to bring up a three-timer when the 6-4 favourite sauntered to a 16-length win in the Barrie Wells Trust Box4Kids Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, while Philip Hobbs & Johnson White’s Imperial Saint also kept favourite-backers happy when taking the Jason Salleh Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase as the 3-1 joint market leader.

Skyjack Hijack continued to be in top form
Skyjack Hijack continued to be in top form (Nigel French/PA)

Dan Skelton’s Sunray Shadow took the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Maiden Hurdle as the 11-10 favourite, before Fergal O’Brien claimed the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Hurdle for a third-straight year with Kamsinas.

A Grade Two winner as a novice last year, he was sent off at 8-1 in the hands of Jonathan Burke and follows in the footsteps of stable star Crambo, who won this en route to Long Walk Hurdle glory 12 months ago.

Crambo’s next port of call was the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on Betfair Chase day and Kamsinas will now follow suit and test his credentials over three miles on November 23.

Kamsinas getting on the scoresheet (Nigel French/PA)
Kamsinas getting on the scoresheet (Nigel French/PA)

O’Brien said: “We were delighted with him and the plan all along was to come this route. We will have a look at the Haydock handicap, see what the handicapper does and see how we go.

“He won a Grade Two over two miles last year at Haydock so we’re stepping up to a trip he’s never gone before, but he was very good over two-miles-five at Kempton last year when winning with Jack Hogan on so I’m looking forward to hopefully getting to Haydock, fingers crossed.”

However, there was no joy for O’Brien in the concluding Racing TV Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race as his 5-2 favourite Siog Geal had to second for second behind Anthony Honeyball’s 100-30 chance Kapability.



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Eldorado Allen primed for Grand National challenge

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Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen will be one of just a handful of British horses flying the flag for the home side in the Randox Grand National at Aintree.

The grey has some solid form in staying chases to his name, winning the 2022 Denman Chase and finishing second in the Charlie Hall and the Betfair Chase during the same season before coming home fourth in the Coral Gold Cup earlier this term.

He reverted to hurdles for a sole outing in January and was last seen pulling up on heavy ground in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tizzard is therefore hoping conditions will be quicker in Liverpool come the National as he believes the gelding has become more comfortable on a firmer surface throughout his career.

“He is (an intended runner), he’s had a couple of poor runs and as he’s got older he wants better ground,” the trainer said.

Joe Tizzard and Eldorado Allen
Joe Tizzard and Eldorado Allen (David Davies/PA)

“I tweaked his wind after his hurdle run but if you go back to his Coral Gold Cup form where he was fourth, he ran a good race in that.

“He was staying on really well, he’s a horse that’s got a bit of class, he gets into a nice rhythm.

“I wouldn’t mind it drying out a bit, I don’t mind admitting I’d like a bit of decent soft ground for him.

“He’s got a chance of running a nice race, it’s no more than that and it’s a privilege to have a runner in these nice races.

“The horse has taken us to some special days out and there’s no reason why he couldn’t get into a nice rhythm and be bang there three out and get us all excited.”

Eldorado Allen winning the Denman Chase
Eldorado Allen winning the Denman Chase (Steven Paston/PA)

Eldorado Allen has run at Aintree several times but never around the Grand National course, so Tizzard will take him to David Pipe’s yard at Nicholashayne to school over National-type obstacles.

“I’m preparing him as normal in his work but I will take him down to Pipe’s and give him a pop over the fences,” he said.

“I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t do it and he went and tipped over at the first or something like that, you’d question yourself, so we’ll go down and we’ll jump eight or 10 National fences and that’ll be it.”

Tizzard’s runner is likely to be one of the smallest ever British contingent to line up in the race, but the trainer is not overly concerned by the situation and does not expect it to be permanent.

“That is where we are at the moment, I don’t like to ever get too negative about this sort of stuff,” he said.

Eldorado Allen at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022
Eldorado Allen at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 (Tim Goode/PA)

“It wasn’t that long ago that were was barely an Irish runner but that is how it’s gone, there are two Irish trainers with a lot of entries but that happens every day in Ireland.

“It’s how it is at the moment but things will change, there’s no point in English people entering horses that they don’t think are good enough or the right type for the race.

“I’m sure if we had the horses then the English trainers would be running them, as simple as that, you’ve only got to look at our result from Cheltenham this year and see there are two are three horses that will be in the Grand National next year and that will increase the numbers.”



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Tizzard team scoop Sandown double

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Joe Tizzard will head into the Cheltenham Festival full of confidence after a big Saturday double at Sandown on Imperial Cup day.

Tizzard has enjoyed many great days in the saddle at Prestbury Park but is yet to saddle a winner at the showpiece meeting, with JPR One leading the Venn Farm charge in the opening day’s My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

After breaking his Grade One duck as a handler at the track on Trials day, he will now return to the Cotswolds full of optimism after Rose Of Arcadia’s (9-2) win in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase supplemented Scarface’s triumph in the previous Betfair Serial Winners Fund Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Trainer Joe Tizzard was in good form at Sandown
Trainer Joe Tizzard was in good form at Sandown (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

Tizzard said: “It’s always lovely to have a double on a Saturday full stop, but the weekend before Cheltenham is just what you need.

“It doesn’t just boost me, it boosts the staff, the owners, everybody. If you are struggling to find a winner it’s a different story, but that will just give the whole team a big boost and we’ll look forward to next week now.”

Tizzard was delighted to see the 13-2 scorer Scarface finally fulfilling his promise in his two-and-a-half-mile test.

“He’s improved for every run over fences and we’ve always held him in high regard,” said Tizzard.

“He’s got his confidence and after winning, it was a good run at Plumpton last time (when second) and even better again today now he’s got his confidence.

“Hopefully he’s at the right end of the handicap and I don’t know what we will do next. We just saw this pot and thought we would have a crack at this and thought the conditions would suit him.

“We’ll just have a think now and decide if we go to Ayr or we could hold on for the nice race over a bit further up at Ayr. There will be some nice races for him.”

Dan Skelton gained compensation for Faivoir’s near-miss in the feature Imperial Cup when picking up Listed honours with racecourse debutant Honky Tonk Highway in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Honky Tonk Highway (left) in winning action at Sandown
Honky Tonk Highway (left) in winning action at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

The 3-1 favourite had accounted for Ben Pauling’s useful Diva Luna in the pointing field and could now head to Aintree for graded action in the spring.

“Harry just felt the whole way round she wasn’t going and if you notice going through the wings of the first few, he actually sits down to hunt her along a little bit,” said Skelton.

“She has bundles of stamina and it was a very good point-to-point she ran in – Diva Luna who was second to her has won a Listed bumper at Market Rasen – so that was a sparkling bit of form in a point-to-point.

“When we started working this horse she didn’t exactly fire straight away and the more we’ve done with her, the better she has got. You saw there half-way up the run-in she ran around a bit, but she has a bit of fire in her belly not dissimilar to what Roksana had and the good mares like that.

“We would have high aspirations for her and whether she goes to Aintree or not, we will wait on the ground. We’ll keep her in training for it and see if it is appropriate.”

Skelton was another to register a double when Jet Plane landed a shock 22-1 success in the concluding betting.betfair.com Handicap Chase, while there was a rare jumps winner for Stuart Kittow, who saw his likeable filly Spiced Rum make most at odds of 13-2.

Spiced Rum winning the Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Spiced Rum winning the Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Steven Paston/PA)

“We might go back on the Flat now, but she’s been on the go for quite a while, so I think when the ground dries up we will have to turn her out,” said Kittow.

“She obviously likes the softer ground. She took it up really easily and it’s quite stiff here and the softest part of the track is in the home straight. I think she actually jumped and travelled better where the ground was better down the back straight.

“She’s obviously still improving which is brilliant. She’s a nice dual-purpose horse.

“I have two jump horses, this one and Cornish Storm and he has been running nicely as well, so we’ve had a bit of fun this winter – makes a change from Wolverhampton at 9pm.”



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Elixir De Nutz connections to keep faith with Gingell

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Freddie Gingell is set to keep the ride aboard shock Clarence House Chase winner Elixir De Nutz when he takes a shot at the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

The 18-year-old has struck up a fine relationship with Joe Tizzard’s resurgent 10-year-old this season.

After collecting the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and a valuable Newbury handicap before Christmas, the duo reunited to deliver a small blow to Jonbon’s Champion Chase hopes when downing Nicky Henderson’s leading two-mile chaser in the rearranged Grade One event at Prestbury Park.

A first triumph at the highest level was a notable feather in the cap of Gingell and with owner Terry Warner keen to stay loyal to one of the weighing room’s youngest stars, he is set for his first taste of a championship event at the Festival.

Freddie Gingell celebrates winning the Clarence House Chase
Freddie Gingell celebrates winning the Clarence House Chase (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

“Fred will keep the ride and Terry Warner is keen to stick with him,” said Tizzard, who is also the rider’s uncle.

“He’s got on with him really well this season and he will definitely keep the ride.

“He keeps getting a good tune out of the old horse and it will do Fred well for the future to just keep getting rides in these big races, so he gets a feel for what goes on in them.

“It’s a lovely opportunity for both of them.”

Elixir De Nutz is enjoying somewhat of an Indian summer in the veteran stage of his career and having landed his second Grade One prize five years after his first, Tizzard believes he is at the peak of his powers ahead of his Champion Chase bid.

“He’s had a cracking season; the Haldon Gold Cup was good and he’s just got better ever since,” continued Tizzard.

“He likes a small field and there is not going to be a massive field (at Cheltenham). We’ve tried him in those big handicaps and that doesn’t work, so he deserves to take his chance after last time.

“We’re not going there thinking we have a real good chance of winning, but he’s in the form of his life and he’ll have a great each-way chance.”

JPR One in winning action at Lingfield
JPR One in winning action at Lingfield (Adam Davy/PA)

Tizzard will also be flying the flag for the home team in the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase, where JPR One lines up off the back of a clinical display at Lingfield last month.

He is the shortest British-trained entrant with a best price of 11-1 and his handler would like to see the recent wet weather disappear, so the seven-year-old can experience optimum conditions at Prestbury Park.

“He is in good form in his work and obviously his last run was a lovely performance,” added Tizzard.

“We go there in the form of our lives and with a nice chance, but I still respect the Irish and if Marine Nationale got back on good ground, then he was an impressive winner of the Supreme last year.

“I wouldn’t mind it drying out so I can get my horse there in the best shape I can and then we will see what happens on the day.”



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‘Emotional’ first Grade One for teenager Freddie Gingell

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Teenager Freddie Gingell paid tribute to his late mother Kim after he registered his first Grade One win aboard Elixir De Nutz in the My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase.

Riding the grey for his uncle Joe Tizzard, Kim’s brother, Gingell recorded a breakthrough victory at the highest level in dramatic circumstances.

The race looked at the mercy of 1-4 favourite Jonbon, but he jumped sloppily throughout and a jolting mistake at the fourth last looked to end his race.

To his credit he got back in front on the run to the last, but another slow leap handed the initiative back to Elixir De Nutz and Gingell conjured up a late rally which saw him prevail, with the rider looking to the sky on crossing the line.

Kim Gingell died of cancer, aged just 43, in May 2020 and the winning jockey underlined her influence.

Elixir De Nutz (far side) battles back to beat Jonbon
Elixir De Nutz (far side) battles back to beat Jonbon (Nigel French/PA)

Gingell said: “It is an amazing day. We came here thinking we might run a big race, finishing second or third.

“That was definitely the most emotional success I’ve had today. Mum was definitely up there looking down on me. She has been a massive part of me in helping me to become a jockey.

“Crossing the line today, I looked up to her and she looked back, and I could tell she was up there doing something.

“As soon as I crossed the line everything stopped and then I could tell I had achieved a big thing. Before that I just needed to get past that line in front.

“I will probably go home and watch it loads, probably 10 times tonight, it’s amazing.

“My mum was a massive part of me, and for Joe and Colin (Tizzard) she did so much. When she went, everything just fell over for everyone really, we never really realised how much she did. But days like this, it really pays off and it’s a massive thank you to her.”

It was also a first Grade success for Joe Tizzard since taking over at the helm from his father, Colin.

Reflecting on the race, Gingell added: “As soon as Jonbon came to the last I thought I was beat, but he didn’t quite get it right and I’ve got an amazing jump and he landed running.

“He battles well and once he got his head in front, I knew he would keep on battling up the hill and he did. I was screaming and shouting all the way but it’s my first Grade One so I should be I guess!

“I’m three from three on him this season and he has been an amazing horse for this season, but he has been an amazing horse in general. Thanks go to Terry Warner (owner) as he has been amazing to me.

“They had the choice of either me or Brendan (Powell) and Terry was very good to let me ride him and I have now won two nice races on him.”



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JPR One back on track with Lingfield success

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JPR One stamped his class on the Download The Racing App Now Lightning Novices’ Chase at Lingfield.

A winner on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot in October, Joe Tizzard’s charge looked set to follow up in the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham the following month when unseating Brendan Powell at the final fence.

In December, he finished a creditable third in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown and got back on the winning trail in this Grade Two event, which was saved and rescheduled following the abandonment of the opening day of the Winter Million Festival on Friday.

There was drama from the off, with Matata hanging violently left on the approach to the first fence, badly impeding the 9-4 favourite Djelo, who had nowhere to go and ultimately came to grief.

Matata attempted to make every yard of the running from that point on, but 6-1 shot JPR One took over travelling strongly five fences from home and looked in control for the remainder of the race.

Matata did his best to make a race of it in the home straight and was making inroads on an idling JPR One late on, but the latter was good value for the winning margin of half a length.

JPR One at Joe Tizzard's yard
JPR One at Joe Tizzard’s yard (David Davies/PA)

Tizzard said: “He was really good today. I’m not making too many excuses for Sandown, I just think he got stuck in the Sandown ground, which you can.

“We had a little walk down the straight today and I was amazed by how well it walked. It was an easy watch today, he travelled great and jumped for fun and that’s the horse we think we’ve got up against the best two-mile novices in England anyway.

“We’ve always held him in pretty high regard and he perhaps didn’t get to the levels over hurdles, but certainly over fences, if he didn’t have that little stumble at the back of the last at Cheltenham, he was going to look majorly impressive.

“I think the ground at Sandown just took its toll but today is the best we’ve seen him and he’s got a fair bit about him on the day.

“He’s got so much athleticism and Brendan has got the hang of not getting too excited – and you could tell he enjoyed that today. We think he’s a smart horse with a big future.”

Coral cut JPR One to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Arkle Trophy and Tizzard confirmed that Cheltenham Festival contest as his next objective.

He added: “We’ll have to take him to the Arkle now, he deserves to be there.

“He’s only a novice for one year, so I would have thought we would have a crack at it. He’s already proved he runs well around Cheltenham, so I don’t know why we wouldn’t.”



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