Taking the Reins: Episode 1 – Chasing Gold
We’re taking a look at each episode of Coral’s exciting new documentary series Taking The Reins, which follows Joe Tizzard in his first season as a trainer.
Part one introduces Joe, son of legendary trainer Colin Tizzard, who saddled numerous big-race winners, including 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Native River.
Joe, a former top-class jockey for almost two decades, has inherited his father’s passion for the sport and the family business and has assisted his dad for several seasons.
Viewers will get an intimate look into Joe’s world as he takes over the reins of Venn Farm and sets out to make his mark.
With a reputation to maintain, Joe faces a host of challenges as he navigates the complexities of training horses, managing staff and working with owners.
But with a string of promising horses under his care and the excitement of the upcoming Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on the horizon, Joe is more than ready to rise to the challenge.
“Being seriously competitive on these big weekend meetings, that’s what I’m really about,” declares Joe at the start of Episode 1.
“The Coral Gold Cup is one of the biggest races of the year. Dad will always tell you, it’s not easy – but my old man’s won two, I need to get one on the list.”
With a combination of behind-the-scenes stable shots and on-course action, we see whether Joe can cement his place as one of the sport’s rising stars.
Our favourite Episode 1 quotes
Joe: “I get more nervous on the day, but the feeling you get when a horse wins and crosses the line, that’s what we do it for!”
Joe: “If you hit the ground running, the press won’t say ‘oh, he can’t train like his father could’.”
Colin: “I don’t want to interfere too much – but I interfere all the time!”
Joe: “Those elite horses take some finding! We’re trying, that’s the key to the future – finding the next owner that’s got a few quid to spend and finding the right horses when they come along.”
Assistant travelling lad Reg Eggleton: “They’re just so gentle and so loving. You’re with them every day and, to be honest, you spend more time with them than you do your family, so if they win it’s a bonus, but at the end of the day, you just want them to come back safe and sound.”
All six episodes of Taking the Reins have been released on the Coral Racing Club YouTube channel, making it easily accessible and free-to-view.
Coral PR Director and Executive Producer Simon Clare said: “Coral is a horse racing brand through and through and our main aim is to get our customers closer to the action to enhance their passion for the sport.
“Given the huge popularity of fly-on-the-wall sports documentaries, we decided to take the plunge, and with our partners at Equine Productions, embarked on a major project charting the progress of Joe Tizzard’s first season as a racehorse trainer.
“Over a six-month period, focusing on a wide range of compelling stories featuring his racehorses, his owners, his family and his hard-working team, around some of the biggest race meetings in the calendar.
“We hope viewers will find this an entertaining and exciting watch and would like to thank Joe and everyone who participated in the series for their willingness to open their lives and emotions to the cameras.
“The Equine Productions team have done an amazing job but we couldn’t have produced the series without the support of many individuals and bodies within the racing industry to which we are indebted.”
Other episodes
Episode 2 – Second Best
Episode 3 – Frozen Sky
Episode 4 – Another Chance
Episode 5 – Cheltenham
Episode 6 – The Grand National
