Colin Tizzard Stable Tour

Form profile

Winner of five of his 18 starts and currently rated 137 over fences. Returned to winning form on his latest start in a handicap chase at Exeter (3m 6 1/2f) last month when beating Perfect Candidate eight and a half lengths off a mark of 129.

Trainer says

He is entered in the Midlands National. He had a hard race at Exeter on that ground and we don’t want to run him too quickly so the Midlands National looks the obvious race for him over the National Hunt Chase.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 12 starts and currently rated 155 over fences. Completed a hat trick when beating Two For Gold 17 lengths in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot (3m) last month.

Trainer says

He won the Reynoldstown last time out. He has been so progressive this season and it is almost unheard of to be honest. It was a lovely first run where he needed it then we have go to handicaps at Wincanton and Newbury. The first time we stepped him up to a Graded race at Ascot and he improved again. He jumps and stays and is very straightforward and very relaxed. We have had a lot of conversations where we are going to run him, but dad and I are leaning towards the RSA and so are the owners. He has got the pace to handle it and if he takes another step forward he would have to have a massive chance in it. He is not completely finished. With another summer on his back he is going to grow into a serious horse and improve again. He surprised us with his progression last season even more so. Eighteen months ago, he was very backward and awkward but this season he has come back in a different horse. He is a big strong chap and you don’t know where he will end up. He is a classy looking horse.

Form profile

Winner of one of his 6 starts and currently rated 150 over hurdles. Finished third, beaten nine lengths, to Quel Destin in the Listed Contenders Hurdle at Sandown (2m) on his latest outing last month.

Trainer says

I think we are going to go to the County Hurdle with him. He probably didn’t run his best race at Sandown last time out. His first race at Sandown was a real strong run and he just got tired as he has been off the track for some time. We thought we would go back and have a crack at the Contenders Hurdle. He didn’t run his best race that day. He travelled into it and didn’t see it out. He is off a workable mark. I think a fast-run two in the County Hurdle will suit him well.

Form profile

Winner of three of his 7 starts and currently rated 154 over hurdles. Improving sort and landed the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle by six lengths from Jeremys Flame in January.

Trainer says

“He will run in the Supreme. He has got outstanding form this season. He won a Tolworth last time and we have saved him for it. A bit of rain this week will suit him as he handles soft ground really well. He is a lovely big horse and his form is really good. His coat is coming at the right time. He will be our only one in the Supreme as Master Debonair is going to go straight to Aintree. I think this horse has got a great chance especially if the ground is on the slower side.His form is rock solid he was second to Thyme Hill then he was second to Edwardstone who gave Harry Senior a penalty on a track which wouldn’t have suite us and he has been hugely impressive in his two runs round Sandown. He is a good traveller and he will stay on up the hill well. His bumper form was good and he beat The Big Getaway in Ireland before we got him.You can see he is a chasing type. He will make a gorgeous chaser next season but he is a pretty good novice hurdler at the moment. I wouldn’t want it to dry out to much as he would want a bit of cut more so that he can handle it better than the rest. He has proved that around Sandown.

Form profile

Winner of two of his 6 starts and currently rated 144 over hurdles. Progressing nicely and scored by two lengths from King Roland in a Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham (2m 4 1/2f) in January.

Trainer says

I think we will run him in the Albert Bartlett. If you can win a Coral Cup you could nearly win an Albert Bartlett. Harry Senior looked like he stayed really well over two miles five last time so three miles won’t be a problem. He has been very progressive. His form has worked out very strong with runs behind Sporting John and Edwardstone and he has just progressed. He won a little race on Welsh National day then won a Grade Two last time out. He looked beaten jumping two out last time and perhaps hit a flat spot then won with a bit in hand last time at Cheltenham. He is horse that has been improving all season.

Form profile

Winner of four of his 16 starts and currently rated 140 over fences. Gained his last success in a novice chase at Plumpton (3m 1 1/2f) in December when beating Diablo De Rouhet four and a half lengths.

Trainer says

He is not the most consistent of horses. He toughed it out at Plumpton. In his last couple of races, he hasn’t quite got home as we have run him over three miles in competitive races. He is a good traveller. It is a 0-145 and he is 140 so it is the right race for him. They will go hard will suit him. I think he will run well but it is a difficult race to be competitive in. There is no reason why he shouldn’t have a live each-way chance. He has got plenty of experience and he wasn’t beaten that far out by Champ first time out around Newbury. He is just coming in his coat. His summer coat is coming through a treat and is probably the best we have had him all season. We have been running him over too far and probably riding him too aggressively. A fast run two and a half will suit him down to the ground.

Form profile

Winner of four of his 14 starts and currently rated 140 over hurdles. Finished third, beaten 14 ½ lengths, to Welsh Saint in a handicap hurdle at Haydock (3m 1/2f) in February off a mark of 142.

Trainer says

He is Pertemps bound and has dropped back to a mark of 140. It has taken us a bit to get him qualified and we had to go up to Haydock to get him qualified but we lost a couple of meetings through the weather. He is an Albert Bartlett winner who off his form this season, as he has been competitive, would have a live each-way chance. He lost his confidence last year and had a pelvis injury and it just didn’t quite happen for him, but he has run himself back into form this season. He needs to run a season’s best but hopefully that will come. He likes it round Cheltenham. Even when we run him in the Cleeve, which we didn’t want to run him in, but the owners were keen, he still run a solid race finishing sixth. I think Harry Cobden can ride him and he gets on particularly well with the horse.

Form profile

Winner of two of his 8 starts and currently rated 132 over fences. Successful in a novice’s handicap chase when last seen out at Chepstow (2m 7 1/2f) in November when beating Fortescue five lengths off a mark of 120.

Trainer says

He won nicely at Chepstow on his last run then we had a little setback with him, but he is back right. He went for a gallop at Larkhill last week. He is an out and out stayer and is a young horse that is not fully exposed. Will Biddick will ride him in the National Hunt Chase.

Form profile

Winner of both of his starts over hurdles and currently rated 139. Scored by nine lengths from Stick With Bill in a novice event at Warwick (2m 3f) last month latest.

Trainer says

Three miles in the Albert Bartlett won’t be a problem as he just gallops on nicely. He has got a bit more to prove but he has been mighty impressive in both of his runs. He is an eye-catching horse and he will make a great chaser next year and we are quite excited about him. He bolted up in a not that strong of a race at Chepstow but at Warwick he beat a 132 horse with a penalty and did it nicely. He is a big strong scopey horse and he will be a lovely horse when he jumps a fence next season. Robbie gave him a squeeze after that last at Warwick to see what was left in the tank as a bit of a feeler.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 15 starts and currently rated 173 over fences. Gained his most prestigious success in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock (3m 1 1/2f) in November when scoring by a length and a half from Bristol De Mai.

Trainer says

He is a horse that we have held in high regard for some time. The season was going perfectly after Haydock and the wheels fell off a bit at Kempton. I can’t say we found a specific reason for it. We have tweaked his wind as he has had a soft palate operation since but that is something that was mentioned before. I think he perhaps had a harder race than we thought he had, and it was only three and a bit weeks before and it perhaps just left his toll a bit. He had his wind done the following week and he has not missed a beat since. He went for a gallop and had a good blow and that put him spot on. We are really happy where he is. Although he is a big horse he wouldn’t mind it drying out as the week goes on as Robbie has maintained that as he is a Flemensfirth he would be better on top of the ground. He was saying that all through last season and is saying that now. I don’t mind if it is a beautiful week at Cheltenham and it dries out and we get to Friday and it is just genuine good to soft as that will really suit him. His novice form last season with Defi Du Seuil is as strong as anything and he proved he stayed at Haydock. I quite like the fact he has gone a bit quite now as he can come in there without too much pressure and we feel we have him right back to where we want him. He has been freshened right up and he goes there really well. We’ve not lost any faith in him. He is a big powerful horse. He will travel around Cheltenham and I still wouldn’t write him out of it. He is a very good horse. He has got cracking form around Cheltenham. He won the Dipper then he was second in the JLT. He bounces off that nice ground. There is always that question mark about that extra couple furlongs up the hill and it takes a lot of getting but if there is some genuine good to soft ground I think he could just travel into it and be bang there at the last. It (trip) shouldn’t be as he got three miles around Aintree really well last year. He has just got that one blot with that King George run. I think it was because he had a harder race at Haydock than we thought. Bar that race at Kempton he is a very exciting horse. I don’t think mentally it will leave an impact as he has schooled well since and he is enjoying his work as much as ever. Robbie was quick to pull him up when he was beaten there so that is not a bad thing. He knew he wasn’t going to be anywhere, so he looked after the horse. He really has come back to himself at home and he looks a picture. He is really happy with his work. He has got a live chance going into as he is a good horse. If you would have said to last year you would have to beat the second and third in the RSA then I would have been comfortable taking them on. It is difficult for horses to back up winning two Gold Cups, but I certainly wouldn’t rule out Al Boum Photo out as they have looked after him well and he goes there a fresh horse. I think it is a wide-open race and as a competitive race as you can get. Whether they are stand out horses as before I’m not sure as we have had before.

Form profile

Winner of four of his 9 starts and currently rated 149 over hurdles. Gained his last success in the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Hurdle at Ascot (1m 7 1/2f) in December when beating Ribble Valley eight lengths.

Trainer says

We wanted to get a prep run into him because of his jumping but we pulled him about at Ascot over two miles three and he came out of it a bit stiff. He is fine now and is in full work. Against Sporting John the race left its mark so we would be rushing to get to Cheltenham. We have spoken to the owners and they were happy to freshen him right up to go to Aintree. He would be one that wants nicer ground, so it works out for everybody.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 20 starts and currently rated 151 over fences. Returned to winning form in a valuable handicap chase at Kempton (3m) last month when beating Black Corton two lengths off a mark of 147.

Trainer says

He will run in the Ultima. He did it well at Kempton the other weekend. For whatever reason the first half of the season he wasn’t quite 100 per cent and at home he wasn’t showing what he showed last year. He showed that in his runs with a couple of disappointing runs round Ascot. He run quite well without getting the trip in the Ladbrokes Trophy, but he just came right since the turn of the new year. We felt he was in good form going into Kempton and he schooled well beforehand and duly did it nicely in a competitive race. He has got good Cheltenham form as he was fourth in the RSA last year. He has come out of Kempton really well the handicapper has jacked him up a little bit, but he has won a £100,000 pot doing it. It is probably one of the most competitive races of the week, but he deserves to take his chance in it. He ticks a lot of boxes and he is in good heart again. He will turn out to be a Grand National horse but he is not in it this year, but I think next year the way he jumps and stays he will turn out to be a cracking Grand National type for next season. It was better ground at Kempton but only slightly better but that is what he wants. He will be competitive off that (151) as he was in the mid-150s earlier in the season. We will take four pounds for winning a £100,000 race.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 9 starts and currently rated 151 over fences. Finished runner-up, beaten four lengths, to Danny Whizzbang in a Grade 2 Novices’ Chase at Newbury (2m 7 1/2f) in November on his latest start.

Trainer says

He could be a slightly forgotten horse. He is a very good horse in the spring. Last year we suffered with ulcers all through the winter and we did well to get them right. He ended up with a four-timer including two Grade Ones at Aintree and Punchestown. He was a bit fresh at Chepstow when he got beat then he won the Rising Stars and by the time we got to Newbury he wasn’t quite right. He just doesn’t handle that winter ground nor the cold or anything as he doesn’t work well in those times, but he does come right in the spring. Whether the ground will be a bit slow for him at Cheltenham that is my only concern as he is just starting to do bits of work really well. We put him under heat lamps to bring his coat forward. Whatever happens at Cheltenham I’m sure at Aintree and Punchestown this horse will come back to his best as he is very much a spring good ground horse. You wouldn’t want it dead ground as it would stunt his pace a bit. Don’t worry about the fact he hasn’t run as he has been away for a gallop and everything is coming right. He will be a fresh horse And I think two and a half is ideal for him, but I think the ground and time of year is most important.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 15 starts and currently rated 156 over fences. Gained his last success in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton (3m) on Boxing Day.

Trainer says

A decision hasn’t been made where we are going to end up at Cheltenham. He has got form around two and a half at Cheltenham, but he also won the Kauto Star over three miles. We will see what the ground does. If it dries up, we might stay over three or he might drop back to two and a half if we thought it was a bit slower. His last run he was trying to take on Gold Cup horses. Robbie Power got to two and realised he wasn’t going to win it so pulled the horse up quite quickly without bottoming him up the hill. He has come out of it well and his coat is coming through nice. He is good horse on his day. He has got the form in the bank and is a second season novice with a Grade One win in the bank. We will leave him in both and make the decision close to the day. We do (regret running him in the Cotswold) as he pulled up and it slightly blots your copy book a little bit, but Robbie didn’t jump those last two fences, so he didn’t completely bottom him. Robbie came in and said it was only his raw ability that got him into it down the hill then was beat, and I looked after him for Cheltenham. He has had five runs this season and he is an older horse so he should be able to take it.

Form profile

Winner of both of his starts over hurdles and currently rated 144. Scored impressively by seven lengths from Papa Tango Charly in a novice hurdle at Newbury (2m 4 1/2f) on his latest start in December.

Trainer says

He is a gorgeous horse and he will run in the Ballymore. He is the only horse in the yard whose coat we haven’t clipped as he has that coat on him all year round. We brought him at the Punchestown sales, and he was a stand out last year. He cost a lot of money, but he has done nothing wrong at all. We would have taken him to trials day but what he did was he was fighting with a horse next door when they got fed and he kicked the side of the stable and his hock swelled up and he had a tiny infection for three days which stopped us taking him to trials day. He has been kept fresh. He went and had a gallop around Larkhill last week. It is a big ask on only his third start under rules to go and do that sort of thing at Cheltenham and Envoi Allen is a hot favourite, but he is a very talented horse and takes everything in his stride. He is very relaxed and jumps for fun. Robbie is in love with him and so are we. We have got some lovely novices this season and this one is very exciting. I’d be amazed if we leave him over hurdles next season. He will go chasing. He is still in the Albert Bartlett. For a five year old that is still growing he doesn’t need to run over three miles yet. He has enough pace for two and a half and he has proved that. We will go the Ballymore route. He has got a lot of ability and raw talent. The lack of experience is always in the back of our minds, but he has not showed any inexperience in any of his races so far. He has had his point-to-point and two hurdle runs and everything he does at home is straightforward and he is straightforward in his races. He settles and jumps well. This horse could end up anywhere in the future and everyone has seen that for themselves and not just because we have hyped him up. He has done it on the track as well. He has got a great pedigree and physically he is a beautiful. He is as exciting a young horse we have had come through our yard so he could end up anywhere. This horse has just looked a bit special and he could well be.

Form profile

Winner of four of his 21 starts and currently rated 147 over fences. Gained his last success when beating Royale Pagaille nine and a half lengths in a novice chase at Chepstow (2m 7 1/2f) in January.

Trainer says

This is a horse with a lot of ability, but he is difficult to get right. We have tried him over all trips. I think we will probably run him in the Marsh. He is a bit too keen for his own good. He gets better when the ground gets better, and he run a blinder at Punchestown last season. He is not the most straightforward to train. A bit of decent ground and the Marsh should be right up his street. He has got a lot of talent when he is right but it is just getting him to click and settle. He is in the Plate still and it is an option but at the back of your minds you are thinking you are only a novice for one season. We will leave him in both. Whether he is mentally prepared for a busy handicap I’m not sure as he gets a bit wound up and just does too much so we will keep our options open. He came with a big reputation and cost enough. On his day he is a decent horse, but he needs everything mentally to be right.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 36 starts and currently rated 149 over fences and hurdles. Finished fourth, beaten 11 /12 lengths, to Emitom in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock (3m 1/2f) last month.

Trainer says

I think we are going to run him in the Stayers’ as he is exposed over fences now. He managed to win his little races and those small fields suited him. He wasn’t far behind Paisley Park at Ascot last year. Although he never ran well at Haydock, he never really got into it. He jumped a bit slow, but we will school him up, but he has got chance of running into a place in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He is Thistlecrack’s full brother and he isn’t quite as good, but he still has his day and if he can run into a place, we would be really pleased with him.