Joe Tizzard: “Slate House is back to his best”

The latest insight from the Tizzard stables

Saturday

Cheltenham 14.00 – Royal Vacation & West Approach

We run two in the opening race, and both tend to go well at the start of the season. Royal Vacation had a run at Chepstow a fortnight, ago, he was a bit stuffy that day and has certainly sharpened up for the run.

He finished a good second at Cheltenham last November so we know he handles the track, but he’s fairly well exposed and as a result he can be hard to win with.

West Approach is another to have some good course form, and we can also run him over hurdles or fences, it makes no difference to him.

I’ve been saying for a couple of years now that he’s going to win one of these big pots, but it’s not happened just yet, he’s been the bridesmaid on a few occasions. He’s been working well and deserves his place here, although it is an ultra-competitive race.

Cheltenham 16.55 – Slate House

Slate House is a second season novice who injured himself the season before last, and as a result we were always chasing ourselves with him a little bit.

This summer it’s all gone much better, he looks great, and we wanted to get a spin into him, as the first big target of the season would be the BetVictor Gold Cup [at Cheltenham next month].

We‘re hoping for a nice confidence boosting run here, and whatever happens we’d look to come back here next month off what we think would be a nice mark, whether he wins here or not.

He’s a Grade Two winner over hurdles, but as I say it just didn’t go right for him last season, but we think he’s back to his best. He was bought to be a good horse, and we still think he can be.

Sunday

Aintree 13.50 – Theatre Guide

Theatre Guide is another who had a seasonal pipe-opener at Chepstow recently, he ran well for a long way before just getting a bit tired, and he’ll strip fitter for that run.

These Veterans’ races are what he runs in now, and it’s great to see him be competitive in them. We schooled him on Friday morning and he winged his fences, so on a track and ground that will suit him, I expect him to run well.

Wincanton 13.00 – Jaytrack Parkhomes

We’re delighted to be supporting an important day at our local track, with one of our owners, John Romans, among those sponsoring on their Combat Stress raceday, and John is co-owner of Jaytrack Parkhomes. He’s had a wind-op over the summer, as his wind was catching him out and stopping him finishing his races last season.

I think this trip is ideal for him, and a mark of 113 looks fair, but it can sometimes take a couple of runs after a wind-op for horses to realise they can breathe properly. It could work straight away, but he does strike me as a horse who will improve for this run.

Wincanton 13.35 – Nativegetaway

Nativegetaway has had a run over fences, back in June, and this looks to be a nice race to get him started again. He might want further in time, but in what looks an open little race, he’s definitely got a chance here.

Wincanton 14.10 – Jeremy Sunshine

We bought this one at the Cheltenham May sale, he’s a gorgeous looking horse and a winning pointer, and this looks a nice place to start him off. We certainly think he’s capable of winning races, he’s been working well, but we’ll learn more about him after this run.

Wincanton 14.45 – White Moon & Bally Longford

We run two in the feature race, White Moon and Bally Longford. Bally did well to win his two races earlier in the summer, and we’re just trying to make the most of the good ground as he’ll have a break when the going gets soft. The handicapper has probably got hold of him now, hence why we’re claiming seven pounds off of him with Harry Kimber.

White Moon has been schooling really well at home, he’s had a wind-op and that should hopefully make life easier for him, he’s certainly in good form, he’ll like the track and ground and I hope he can run a big race.