Joe Tizzard Friday Blog | Aintree, Fontwell & Hexham
05 Nov 2026
Coral Racing Ambassador, Joe Tizzard, sends out five runners across the cards on Friday, including JPR One in the Haldon Gold Cup at Aintree.
With the effects of the dry summer still causing issues with the going at certain courses, we are having to travel far and wide to find the right opportunities, and that’s certainly the case today, with runners as far apart as Fontwell and Hexham!
13:00 Hexham – Luna Marquesa
We start at Hexham, with Luna Marquesa one of five in the mares’ novice hurdle. She’s a nice mare and I was really pleased with her first run of the season at Worcester. I thought she was going to be a big baby on her first start over hurdles but she jumped great that day and she galloped so well right through the line, Fred [Gingell] had a job to pull her up.
She’s come out of that race well, I think she’s come on plenty for it and as I say, we’re looking for the right ground for these horses, so we’ve travelled here.
13:25 Fontwell – Sea Warrior
Sea Warrior goes back to Fontwell having won here by 12 lengths last month, his first run after a wind-op, and a victory that saw him put up eight pounds by the handicapper. He had a real good look at the first fence that day but then jumped superbly. Hopefully he’s still the right side of the handicapper and can have a good chance of following up.
13:35 Hexham – Walk Tall
Walk Tall has top weight in this handicap chase, but I do think he’s better than his current rating of 100. He came from an Irish point-to-point background and schools very well, so although this is his chasing debut, he’s been working nicely at home. For the same owners as Luna Marquesa, I hope he will take a bit of beating here.
14:10 Hexham – Scarface
Our third runner here also runs in the Walk Tall colours, the owners are local to Hexham so it’s a plus for them having the runners here today. Scarface is another carrying top weight, but he’s more than competitive in these sorts of races, it is a drop down in grade from where we’ve seen him perform so well in the past.
He’ll be ten in the New Year, so eligible for veterans’ races, and this looks a nice race for him after Ffos Las last month, where I think he just got a bit stuck in the ground that day. We know how good his best form is, he’s run some lovely races and this looks a good opportunity for him.
15:00 Aintree – JPR One
Our final runner on the day is a big one, JPR One in the Haldon Gold Cup. I’m delighted this race was moved here when Exeter couldn’t go ahead. We can’t afford to lose these good races, so well done to all involved. He only went up three pounds for winning at Cheltenham last month, which I don’t think was unfair, he's off top weight here but we know that’s the case with him in handicaps.
I think he should have a live chance here, I can see him skipping around this track well. With Brendan [Powell] sadly sidelined, Jonjo [O’Neill jr] has come in for the ride. We wanted someone with a bit of experience, and Jonjo makes the effort to come and ride out with us from time to time, so he’s got the chance.
Life is never easy for this horse, he carries top weight in handicaps as we know but this is the right race for him and he never lets us down.
Joe Tizzard, Coral Racing Ambassador
With the effects of the dry summer still causing issues with the going at certain courses, we are having to travel far and wide to find the right opportunities, and that’s certainly the case today, with runners as far apart as Fontwell and Hexham!
13:00 Hexham – Luna Marquesa
We start at Hexham, with Luna Marquesa one of five in the mares’ novice hurdle. She’s a nice mare and I was really pleased with her first run of the season at Worcester. I thought she was going to be a big baby on her first start over hurdles but she jumped great that day and she galloped so well right through the line, Fred [Gingell] had a job to pull her up.
She’s come out of that race well, I think she’s come on plenty for it and as I say, we’re looking for the right ground for these horses, so we’ve travelled here.
13:25 Fontwell – Sea Warrior
Sea Warrior goes back to Fontwell having won here by 12 lengths last month, his first run after a wind-op, and a victory that saw him put up eight pounds by the handicapper. He had a real good look at the first fence that day but then jumped superbly. Hopefully he’s still the right side of the handicapper and can have a good chance of following up.
13:35 Hexham – Walk Tall
Walk Tall has top weight in this handicap chase, but I do think he’s better than his current rating of 100. He came from an Irish point-to-point background and schools very well, so although this is his chasing debut, he’s been working nicely at home. For the same owners as Luna Marquesa, I hope he will take a bit of beating here.
14:10 Hexham – Scarface
Our third runner here also runs in the Walk Tall colours, the owners are local to Hexham so it’s a plus for them having the runners here today. Scarface is another carrying top weight, but he’s more than competitive in these sorts of races, it is a drop down in grade from where we’ve seen him perform so well in the past.
He’ll be ten in the New Year, so eligible for veterans’ races, and this looks a nice race for him after Ffos Las last month, where I think he just got a bit stuck in the ground that day. We know how good his best form is, he’s run some lovely races and this looks a good opportunity for him.
15:00 Aintree – JPR One
Our final runner on the day is a big one, JPR One in the Haldon Gold Cup. I’m delighted this race was moved here when Exeter couldn’t go ahead. We can’t afford to lose these good races, so well done to all involved. He only went up three pounds for winning at Cheltenham last month, which I don’t think was unfair, he's off top weight here but we know that’s the case with him in handicaps.
I think he should have a live chance here, I can see him skipping around this track well. With Brendan [Powell] sadly sidelined, Jonjo [O’Neill jr] has come in for the ride. We wanted someone with a bit of experience, and Jonjo makes the effort to come and ride out with us from time to time, so he’s got the chance.
Life is never easy for this horse, he carries top weight in handicaps as we know but this is the right race for him and he never lets us down.
Joe Tizzard, Coral Racing Ambassador
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