Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen Saturday Blog | Chepstow and Sandown
04 Dec 2025
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, give us the inside scoop on their runners and rides on what promises to be yet another quality afternoon of action at Chepstow and Sandown.
JOE TIZZARD: 'I REALLY DO THINK THIS MARATHON TRIP WILL SUIT'
12:43 Sandown – Sunset Marquesa
The horses continue to run well, with Western Knight winning a nice race at Haydock in midweek, and we sit in fifth place in the trainers’ championship, having already won nearly £600,000 in prize money, so really all we want is to keep them in this form.
Sunset Marquesa ran a really nice race to finish third at Exeter on her first start of the season last month, and as most of mine have improved for their first run, I’d expect her to come on plenty too. The plan after Exeter was to come here, the short gap between the races looks ideal, Sandown should suit her, and she won’t mind any cut in the ground. I can see her running a lovely race.
14:46 Chepstow – The Italian Fox
The Italian Fox is a big baby, and he’s just taken time to get the hang of everything. This will be his third start over hurdles, so he’ll get his handicap mark after this, and that’s very much how we see him at the moment, one for handicaps going forward.
15:35 Sandown – Rivers Corner
We’ve been wanting to step Rivers Corner up in trip, and as well as this race, he was entered in a couple of other contests this week at Exeter and Chepstow as we looked for the best opportunity. Only seven have been declared for the London National, and with £50,000 on offer, it’s a lovely pot to aim at.
He carries bottom weight here and like my other two runners today, he’s having his second start of the season, so we’d expect him to step forward for that, and I really do think this marathon trip will suit him. He’s not without a decent squeak I hope.
SEAN BOWEN: 'HE WILL BE THERE WITH A MASSIVE CHANCE'
12:43 Sandown – Dramatic Encore
This will be my first time on board Dramatic Encore. She broke her maiden at Huntingdon at the first attempt over hurdles and she has fared well on her two starts since then, including at Warwick last time. Harry Derham’s horses are in great form, so hopefully this mare can keep that run going for him.
13:20 Sandown – Chasing Fire
Chasing Fire chased home Impose Toi at Aintree on his last run, and the form of that race has been boosted. I think the track will suit him well. My only concern is if we get a lot of rain before the race as he wouldn’t want things too testing. It is an open-looking contest, but this horse has a good chance if the ground doesn’t become heavy.
13:50 Sandown – Alnilam
Alnilam is stepping up in class for the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase. From the moment I got off him at Cheltenham on his last run, Olly Murphy has been keen to run in this race. He jumped well in that contest and showed a great engine.
Sandown is a tough test for novices as they must get into a good rhythm with their jumping, particularly in the back straight with the Railway Fences. If he jumps as well as he did at Cheltenham, he will be there with a massive chance.
14:25 Sandown – Go Dante
Go Dante is a two-time Imperial Cup winner, so he has shown he loves it at this racecourse. He is 3lb higher than when he picked up his second Imperial Cup back in March, so he will need to prove himself off this mark. Any rain will be in his favour as he is happy going on soft ground.
15:35 Sandown – Hung Jury
I was impressed with what Hung Jury produced last time out at Cheltenham on heavy ground. He will stay every yard of this trip, regardless of the ground. Martin Keighley’s horses are absolutely flying, so I am optimistic of a great ride in the London National to finish the afternoon.
Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, Coral Racing Ambassadors
JOE TIZZARD: 'I REALLY DO THINK THIS MARATHON TRIP WILL SUIT'
12:43 Sandown – Sunset Marquesa
The horses continue to run well, with Western Knight winning a nice race at Haydock in midweek, and we sit in fifth place in the trainers’ championship, having already won nearly £600,000 in prize money, so really all we want is to keep them in this form.
Sunset Marquesa ran a really nice race to finish third at Exeter on her first start of the season last month, and as most of mine have improved for their first run, I’d expect her to come on plenty too. The plan after Exeter was to come here, the short gap between the races looks ideal, Sandown should suit her, and she won’t mind any cut in the ground. I can see her running a lovely race.
14:46 Chepstow – The Italian Fox
The Italian Fox is a big baby, and he’s just taken time to get the hang of everything. This will be his third start over hurdles, so he’ll get his handicap mark after this, and that’s very much how we see him at the moment, one for handicaps going forward.
15:35 Sandown – Rivers Corner
We’ve been wanting to step Rivers Corner up in trip, and as well as this race, he was entered in a couple of other contests this week at Exeter and Chepstow as we looked for the best opportunity. Only seven have been declared for the London National, and with £50,000 on offer, it’s a lovely pot to aim at.
He carries bottom weight here and like my other two runners today, he’s having his second start of the season, so we’d expect him to step forward for that, and I really do think this marathon trip will suit him. He’s not without a decent squeak I hope.
SEAN BOWEN: 'HE WILL BE THERE WITH A MASSIVE CHANCE'
12:43 Sandown – Dramatic Encore
This will be my first time on board Dramatic Encore. She broke her maiden at Huntingdon at the first attempt over hurdles and she has fared well on her two starts since then, including at Warwick last time. Harry Derham’s horses are in great form, so hopefully this mare can keep that run going for him.
13:20 Sandown – Chasing Fire
Chasing Fire chased home Impose Toi at Aintree on his last run, and the form of that race has been boosted. I think the track will suit him well. My only concern is if we get a lot of rain before the race as he wouldn’t want things too testing. It is an open-looking contest, but this horse has a good chance if the ground doesn’t become heavy.
13:50 Sandown – Alnilam
Alnilam is stepping up in class for the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase. From the moment I got off him at Cheltenham on his last run, Olly Murphy has been keen to run in this race. He jumped well in that contest and showed a great engine.
Sandown is a tough test for novices as they must get into a good rhythm with their jumping, particularly in the back straight with the Railway Fences. If he jumps as well as he did at Cheltenham, he will be there with a massive chance.
14:25 Sandown – Go Dante
Go Dante is a two-time Imperial Cup winner, so he has shown he loves it at this racecourse. He is 3lb higher than when he picked up his second Imperial Cup back in March, so he will need to prove himself off this mark. Any rain will be in his favour as he is happy going on soft ground.
15:35 Sandown – Hung Jury
I was impressed with what Hung Jury produced last time out at Cheltenham on heavy ground. He will stay every yard of this trip, regardless of the ground. Martin Keighley’s horses are absolutely flying, so I am optimistic of a great ride in the London National to finish the afternoon.
Joe Tizzard and Sean Bowen, Coral Racing Ambassadors
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