Joe Tizzard Easter Monday runners blog: 'This £100k race has been the plan for him for a while'

Leading trainer Joe Tizzard runs Coral's readers through his runners on Easter Monday (April 21) at Plumpton and Chepstow in his latest exclusive blog.

Plumpton have put up great prize money for this meeting, so we’ve long had this race in mind for JPR One, and even though Willie [Mullins] and Dan [Skelton] are both here as they chase the trainers’ title, we were never going to change our plan.

JPR One carries top weight here, because he’s the best horse in the race, but obviously it does mean he gives weight away to all of them, which won’t make life easy. He came back from Cheltenham a little bit stiff, so he had an easy week, which meant Aintree was never an option, but with this being a £100,000 race, we were more than happy to aim him here. He should go really well around here, and I’m really happy with him, so I’m expecting him to run a big race.

I thought the handicapper had been harsh when he put him up ten pounds for his Wincanton win, but he then followed up in good style at Hereford and has gone up another ten pounds, which I’m still not sure is fair as they were two average looking races. I think the trip and ground will suit, but I’m not convinced he’s a 137 horse, although hopefully the handicapper is right and I’m wrong!

I also run Bourbali here, he’s so consistent, and although he’s done a lot of his racing at Kempton, he’s won around Chepstow over hurdles, so he should be fine. He’s almost too consistent for his own good, the handicapper has got a grip of him, but he can run another solid each-way race here.

We also run two in this race. Star Of Affinity has had a great season, winning three times, so he deserves this crack at a big pot, whether he’s good enough or not we’ll find out, but whatever happens, he’ll go chasing in the autumn.

Ambion View hasn’t quite had the rub of the green since he won first time up, but I think plenty of him, and as a result, I think he’s better than his mark, so I hope he can be really competitive here. 

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