Joe Tizzard Friday Blog | Haldon Gold Cup Day
12:40 Exeter – Lisbane Park
A big day for us at a track we’ve enjoyed plenty of success at over the years, including in the feature Haldon Gold Cup. We start with a lovely young horse who we bought at Aintree earlier this year, he was a horse I wanted at that sale so I was delighted we managed to get him.
He had just the one run in a point-to-point, but he’s done everything nicely at home since we’ve had him and with our horses running well now I think he can do himself justice here and run a nice race on debut.
13:15 Exeter – Sunset Marquesa & Bobbi With An I
Sunset Marquesa was in at Wincanton on Saturday as well, but having walked that course earlier this week, I think she’ll be better suited by Exeter. She’s probably the best of our two, but Bobbi With An I needs a run before we go chasing with her and this fits in well for her. Mine are generally improving for their first run and that could be the case with these two, but I’m sure both have nice races in them down the line.
13:50 Exeter – Western Knight
Western Knight jumps well at home so I’m looking forward to getting him started over fences here. The second half of last season didn’t go to plan for him, he just needed time to grow as he got a bit weak behind the saddle, but physically now I couldn’t be happier with him.
This is a tricky little race, only four runners but none of them can be discounted. I just want to see our fellow run his race and if he does there’s no reason he can’t be involved.
14:25 Exeter – JPR One
JPR One was a very emotional winner of this race 12 months ago and it’s been his target once again for a long time. He’s in really good nick at home and schooled well at home earlier in the week, so we’re very excited by him. The betting says he has Kalif Du Berlais to beat and that one could be a Champion Chase horse, in which case so be it, but our fellow will love the ground and the favourite will have to put up a fair performance to beat him.
15:00 Exeter – Ugo Bingo
Ugo Bingo finished second here last month, so we know this course and trip suits him and he should come on plenty for that comeback run. This is a deeper race but the market has him as a leading contender and I hope he can live up to that. I certainly give him a big each-way chance.
15:35 Exeter – Gyenyame
Gyenyame is another who has had a recent run, finishing third of four at Newton Abbot, which will bring him on for this. He can be a bit inconsistent, but on a going day he wouldn’t be without a chance of being placed in a race like this.
16:10 Exeter – Striking A Pose
Exeter is definitely this horse’s favourite track and we’ve put Fred [Gingell] back on him here as he can be a funny so and so and it’s good to mix things up with him. A bit like Gyenyame, at his best he can pick up some prize money, but we don’t what Striking A Pose might turn up.
Joe Tizzard, Coral Racing Ambassador