Joe Tizzard: “Fiddlerontheroof has what you need to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle’”
Coral ambassador previews the Tizzard stables’ Cheltenham Day One runners
13.30 Cheltenham (Supreme Novices Hurdle) – Fiddlerontheroof
He’s in great form. He hasn’t run since the Tolworth Hurdle when he became a Grade 1 winner. This race has always been the plan.
He’s a strong staying two-miler which is what you need to win a Supreme, and it looks like he’s going to get his ground. It’s not like he’s dependent on soft ground, but he’ll handle soft better than most.
They are due some rain overnight which will make it honest soft ground and it will play to our horse’s strengths.
14.50 Cheltenham (Ultima Handicap Chase) – Mister Malarkey
He’s another horse that is in great form. He only got a 4lb rise for winning a competitive race at Kempton nicely last time.
The better ground was key to that victory but he has won on soft ground, and proved that he can handle it.
For whatever reason he’s a better horse now than he was a couple of months ago, and he’s going to Cheltenham in great form and off a mark that he’s capable of being competitive of.
Jonjo O’Neill Junior rides him and he gets on well with him. Mister Malarkey was the first horse that he rode for us, at Aintree last year when he came second to Kildisart. I think the race will be run to suit the horse.
16.50 Cheltenham (Randox Health Novice Handicap Chase) – Highest Sun
He has to answer a few questions after his last couple of runs. Something was stopping him, whether it was because a few of our horses were a bit below par I don’t know. We have decided to put the tongue strap on him for that reason. He is a horse we hold in high regard.
This race is competitive and the Irish tend to have the edge in it, but if the tongue strap finds a little bit of improvement, then some of his best form would give him a chance.
He’s not there just to have a runner, and if everything goes to plan then we think he could be competitive. But he does need to improve on his last two runs.
17.30 Cheltenham (The National Hunt Chase) – Lamanver Pippin
He had a small setback after his last run at Chepstow, where he was very impressive, but he’s fine now.
In a normal year you might think it was a step too far, but this race has cut up this year, and he gallops, he jumps and he stays, so we think he has an each-way chance.
On the ratings it looks like he has a bit to find, and if we’d managed to get a run in between Chepstow and this race then I think he would have been a live contender.
Joe
