Joe Tizzard: I do think he’s fairly handicapped and can run a big race
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Trainer and Coral ambassador Joe Tizzard discusses the chances of his four runners at the Coral Gold Cup meeting at Newbury where there will be a precautionary inspection on Saturday morning.
Fingers-crossed the cold temperatures don’t put an end to this day, as it’s one of the big days in the calendar. We all have horses primed for the day, and from a personal point of view it’s a day we’ve had some great success at. We take four nice horses here, starting with Killer Kane. He didn’t get home over a three-mile plus trip at Wincanton last time, and we did have him in the 2 ½ mile race here on Friday, but I think this 2 mile 6 furlongs trip suits him well now.
He finished fourth in this race last season, and will love the good ground. I’m very happy with the form he’s in at home, so I’d be disappointed if he’s not in the frame again.
Off To A Flyer has had a run this season, at Cheltenham, where he was nearly brought down two out, and he just got a bit tired. We are going chasing with him soon enough, but I just thought this trip and this ground would suit him, and off what looks a very workable handicap mark, I think he’s got each-way chances.
The Coral Gold Cup is a race we’ve won twice before, although dad’s name was on the licence for both so I need to get my name on the board! It’s one of the big races of the whole year, and a race we always want to have a horse for, and this year we run Eldorado Allen.
I couldn’t be happier with him, and while at the age of nine he could be vulnerable to a younger rival, he’s run well here before, with the highlight his Denman Chase win over Royale Pagaille last year, and we saw what that one did at Haydock last weekend.
He’s had a run already this season, finishing third at Ascot, which will put him spot-on for this, and while we’re not coming here with the confidence we did with Native River, for example, I do think he’s fairly handicapped and capable of running a really nice race.
Elixir De Nutz has almost had his Gold Cup moment for the season, giving the team an emotional win in the Haldon Gold Cup. That was the plan. We got the prep run into him and he was superb on the day, so it was job done in a way. The handicapper has obviously had his say, and he’s up five pounds for the Exeter win, so while he’s run well at Newbury before, and he loves smallish fields, this won’t be easy giving weight to all his rivals.
Joe
