Joe Tizzard: “I’d be disappointed if he’s not really competitive”
Coral ambassador Joe Tizzard previews the stable’s runners at Newbury races on Saturday
Newbury 1.15 – Ofalltheginjoints & Kauto The King
A big day in the calendar begins for us with two in the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Chase. There’s not much between our pair, only three pounds on official ratings, with Kauto The King creeping up in the weights after a really good recent spell, and Ofalltheginjoints dropping down slowly.
Harry Kimber got a really good tune out of Kauto The King at Wincanton last time, and takes another useful seven pounds off of him here, while I think this 2m 6f trip around this track will suit him well. The handicapper will get hold of him at some point, but right now he’s in good form at home and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go well here.
Ofalltheginjoints travelled really well in the Badger Beer last time, almost too well really, and he just didn’t quite get home, but with two runs behind him now, he’s another who should be really suited by this trip, and off of his current mark, I’d like to think he can be competitive here.
Newbury 3.00 – Fiddlerontheroof, Mister Malarky & Copperhead
The Ladbrokes Trophy is a race we’ve got a terrific record in, and is one we always like to target with our better horses, and we go three handed this time.
It’s been Fiddlerontheroof’s target since last season, and we were obviously delighted with his win at Carlisle first time up, when he broke the track record. He’s come on plenty for that run, and he ticks a lot of boxes for this race, being a second-season chaser who could be well handicapped if he progresses as we hope he will.
He’s rightly towards the head of the betting, and I’d be disappointed if he’s not really competitive, albeit this is a typically open and classy contest.
Mister Malarky is a good horse on his day, we just don’t know which Mister Malarky will turn up. I do think he prefers to dominate his field, which obviously he won’t find easy to do here, but he’s got ability for sure, and off his current mark, if the race is run to suit him, he’s more than capable of finishing in the first four or five.
I’d love to have got a run into Copperhead, but the dry autumn was against us. He’s another with talent, but he’s in the deep end here off the back of a disappointing season. However, he’s been doing everything right at home, and somewhere near a return to his best form here could see him run a big race.
Joe
