Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen Sunday Blog | Cheltenham and Fontwell
15 Nov 2025
Can Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen strike gold on the third day of the Cheltenham November Meeting? Check out their exclusive previews below, including an additional runner for the Tizzard team over at Fontwell.
JOE TIZZARD: 'HE GOES THROUGH SOFT GROUND REALLY WELL AND WE KNOW HE GOES WELL AT CHELTENHAM'
14:20 Cheltenham – Triple Trade
There was plenty of rain on Friday but this fellow is one who won’t mind it, he goes through soft ground really well and we know he goes well at Cheltenham too. He actually had a bit of a sinus problem last season which impacted his campaign, but one positive result of that is that he’s dropped to what looks like a very workable handicap mark of 123. He seems in great form at home and so I think he’s got a great each-way chance.
15:30 Cheltenham – Alexei
This looks a very hot renewal of the Greatwood Hurdle with all the leading contenders declared, but he won very well at Ascot last time and deserves to take his chance. Very soft ground is an unknown and he did bounce off good ground last time, but this has been the plan and we won’t be put off by the rain.
You can’t go into a race this competitive feeling ultra-confident, but I don’t think a seven pounds rise for his Ascot win was too harsh and I am looking forward to running him. He won four times on the Flat in Germany so he was hardly a dark horse, but he’s just so progressive we wouldn’t know where he’s going to end up.
I can’t remember the yard ever having a runner in the Greatwood, Dad [Colin] built his reputation with classy staying chasers, so this feels like something different and I’m not sure we’ve ever had a hurdler with so much pace so it does make it even more exciting.
15:52 Fontwell – Mark Of Zorro
This horse was a big baby last season, but he ran well on his comeback here at Fontwell last month. Ours have generally improved for their first run, so he should too and off a mark of 91 I think he should be very competitive here.
SEAN BOWEN: 'OLLY REALLY LIKES HIM'
13:15 Cheltenham – Hold The Serve
Hold The Serve arrived at Olly Murphy’s yard as a point-to-point winner and we have been delighted with all the schooling he has done since then. Olly really likes him, which is why he is making his hurdles debut at this meeting. It is a hot race, as it should be at Cheltenham, but if this horse produces what he has shown us at home he can be in the mix.
14:20 Cheltenham – St Faz
St Faz has had a couple of runs for Gordon Elliott now and his last performance was the best of the two. He carried top weight at Down Royal, finishing fifth of 12 runners. Looking at his form, he seems to handle all ground conditions, so that is encouraging if the ground does become on the heavy side. Hopefully he is off a mark he can work with, and he will outrun his odds.
15:30 Cheltenham – Putapoundinthejar
I rode this horse to victory at the Punchestown Festival last season and that was one of the highlights of the year for me. He travelled like a dream in that race and my initial thought after the contest was that he would improve again. He has featured on the Flat and over hurdles during the summer, so he should be fit. The handicapper put him up 10lb for his Punchestown triumph, so he is now off a mark of 127. He deserves his spot in this field, and it will be great to get back on board.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Joe Tizzard & Sean Bowen
JOE TIZZARD: 'HE GOES THROUGH SOFT GROUND REALLY WELL AND WE KNOW HE GOES WELL AT CHELTENHAM'
14:20 Cheltenham – Triple Trade
There was plenty of rain on Friday but this fellow is one who won’t mind it, he goes through soft ground really well and we know he goes well at Cheltenham too. He actually had a bit of a sinus problem last season which impacted his campaign, but one positive result of that is that he’s dropped to what looks like a very workable handicap mark of 123. He seems in great form at home and so I think he’s got a great each-way chance.
15:30 Cheltenham – Alexei
This looks a very hot renewal of the Greatwood Hurdle with all the leading contenders declared, but he won very well at Ascot last time and deserves to take his chance. Very soft ground is an unknown and he did bounce off good ground last time, but this has been the plan and we won’t be put off by the rain.
You can’t go into a race this competitive feeling ultra-confident, but I don’t think a seven pounds rise for his Ascot win was too harsh and I am looking forward to running him. He won four times on the Flat in Germany so he was hardly a dark horse, but he’s just so progressive we wouldn’t know where he’s going to end up.
I can’t remember the yard ever having a runner in the Greatwood, Dad [Colin] built his reputation with classy staying chasers, so this feels like something different and I’m not sure we’ve ever had a hurdler with so much pace so it does make it even more exciting.
15:52 Fontwell – Mark Of Zorro
This horse was a big baby last season, but he ran well on his comeback here at Fontwell last month. Ours have generally improved for their first run, so he should too and off a mark of 91 I think he should be very competitive here.
SEAN BOWEN: 'OLLY REALLY LIKES HIM'
13:15 Cheltenham – Hold The Serve
Hold The Serve arrived at Olly Murphy’s yard as a point-to-point winner and we have been delighted with all the schooling he has done since then. Olly really likes him, which is why he is making his hurdles debut at this meeting. It is a hot race, as it should be at Cheltenham, but if this horse produces what he has shown us at home he can be in the mix.
14:20 Cheltenham – St Faz
St Faz has had a couple of runs for Gordon Elliott now and his last performance was the best of the two. He carried top weight at Down Royal, finishing fifth of 12 runners. Looking at his form, he seems to handle all ground conditions, so that is encouraging if the ground does become on the heavy side. Hopefully he is off a mark he can work with, and he will outrun his odds.
15:30 Cheltenham – Putapoundinthejar
I rode this horse to victory at the Punchestown Festival last season and that was one of the highlights of the year for me. He travelled like a dream in that race and my initial thought after the contest was that he would improve again. He has featured on the Flat and over hurdles during the summer, so he should be fit. The handicapper put him up 10lb for his Punchestown triumph, so he is now off a mark of 127. He deserves his spot in this field, and it will be great to get back on board.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Joe Tizzard & Sean Bowen
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