Joe Tizzard on Cheltenham Festival and leading contenders in 2025

During a successful career as jockey, the father-of-two was lucky enough to ride four winners at National Hunt racing’s flagship meeting, which included Grade One wins aboard Cue Card in the Champion Bumper and Ryanair Chase and Flagship Uberalles in the Arkle.

And upon retiring from the saddle he played an integral role in helping his dad, and now retired trainer Colin, prepare the likes of Native River to Gold Cup glory and Thistlecrack to victory in what was then the World Hurdle.

But for all those great days both in and out of the saddle, the 44-year-old is keen to make a real imprint at the meeting with his own career as a trainer beginning to gather pace in what is now his third season at the helm of Spurles Stables.

Tizzard said: “It is unbelievable to have a winner at Cheltenham and it is second to none. It really is special and I was lucky enough to have four winners there as a jockey.

“They were incredible days, and even more so, when there was an 11 year gap between my second one aboard Flagship Uberalles in the 1999 Arkle and third one with Cue Card in the 2010 Champion Bumper for my family, which was special.

"That hour in 2018 was crazy with Kilbricken Storm winning the Albert Bartlett and Native River then winning the Gold Cup. Those celebrations will never ever be forgotten, that is as simple as that, but I want to be there with my name on it.

“I was part of it, but it was Colin Tizzard that was the trainer and I want to catch him up and do it myself.”

'Five or six horses that deserve to be there'

It will be a case of small and select for Tizzard at this year’s Festival as opposed to going mob handed to the meeting as has been the case for the yard in previous years.

However, while there might not be a genuine Grade One contender like a Native River or Cue Card among his team Tizzard, who has already equalled his best tally of 55 winners, is content with those that will represent him at the meeting.

Tizzard added: “We are having a good season with young horses that I have bought with Ross Doyle. We have got some momentum again and we are going forwards. We have had two Grade Two winners, and we are closing on breaking a million pounds in prize money, while we have equalled our best winners total. It is all going in the right direction.

“I’ve not got the depth we, as a family, had years ago, but I feel like I’ve got some nice horses coming through. The horses are flying and I’ve got five or six horses that deserve to be at Cheltenham and that is where we are.”

Youth is very much to the fore of Tizzard’s team for the Festival, which will be headed by The Changing Man, who ran out an impressive winner of the Grade Two Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot on his last start following a series of near misses.

And although Tizzard is undecided which race the eight-year-old, who holds entries in the Ultima Handicap Chase, National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase and Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, will contest, he expects a bold sight wherever he appears next.

Tizzard said: “The race fell apart at Ascot a bit, but that wasn’t his fault and he deserved it. I was pleased with the way he did it as beat a couple of useful horses and they were stuffed by Swinley Bottom.

“He had been second nearly all season, and although nobody had the nerve to say anything to me, I was waiting to snap if somebody said he wasn’t trying as he had just kept bumping into one, but he has now won his Grade Two.

“He probably fits the Ultima quite well, but if the Brown Advisory cut up then we might go for that as he is only a novice until the end of the season. There will be 20 odd runners in an Ultima, however he can handle that. I’m not deciding now, or leaning one way, and we will work it out closer to the time.”

Plenty was expected of Lord Of Thunder this season, who finally put everything together over fences on his latest start upped to an extended two miles seven furlongs at Newbury on his most recent start.

Although the seven-year-old holds an entry in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase on Thursday of the meeting, the Grade Two Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase on the same day appears Tizzard’s preferred option.

Tizzard said: “Lord Of Thunder will go for the extended two and a half miles Grade Two novices’ handicap chase as a hard run race over that trip should be ideal.

“He was running well there at the beginning of the season when he fell. I was disappointed with him at Exeter as he didn’t finish his race off, but the form has worked out well. He takes a lot of work to get fit and I got really stuck into him after that. We went to the Grade Two at Ffos Las and that was a good move.

“We rode him with confidence and he picked up a nice bit of prize money for finishing second. That was his best performance at Newbury and Jemma (Sargent) says he has been jumping out of his skin since Newbury.

“He has got enough pace for this race and I think when he is right, and on song, he is full of it. You are going to have to stay in this race as they will go at a helter-skelter pace.

“He has got the ability to sit in the first half a dozen and hopefully his stamina will then kick up in the straight. He should give him a lovely racing weight and if we get ground on the soft side of good he has a serious chance of being in the first four.”

Classy One has options

Having ruled out a tilt at the Ryanair Chase, it will either be an outing in the Grade One BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase for JPR One according to Tizzard.

However, Tizzard has issued a word of warning with the participation of this year’s Haldon Gold Cup hero at the Festival only being fulfilled if the ground is suitable.

Tizzard said: “I don’t think I will go for the Ryanair with JPR One. He is in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Grand Annual, but I will only run him if it is decent ground.

“You don’t get too many chances to run in a Queen Mother Champion Chase and he was third in the Tingle Creek where the form has worked out well. In a Grand Annual he would have top weight, but it will be between those two races.

“He was a bit disappointing at Newbury in the Game Spirit last time as he travelled well into it, but he should be competitive in the spring. I’ve said that to John (Romans, owner) as there is then only three weeks until Aintree. I think a flat two miles around there is right up his street as he has got bags of pace.

“I’ve spoken to John in depth, and we will go through all the motions, and if it is going to be slow ground at Cheltenham, we will wait for Aintree and then we will go to Punchestown, or Sandown.”

Confession to make an impact?

When it comes to saddling big priced winners of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, the Tizzard team have form following the 33/1 victory secured by Kilbricken Storm in the 2018 renewal. And in dual Ascot winner First Confession, who also holds a Turners Novices’ Hurdle entry, Tizzard feels he could have a horse capable of popping up at a big price in the three mile Grade One test.

Tizzard added: “First Confession is in the Turners, but I think the Albert Bartlett is probably the easier option. He didn’t jump a yard in the Challow Hurdle either side of his two wins at Ascot. He did not perform that day, but he bounced right back at Ascot.

“He has never been tested against this sort of horse, but he is a galloper and he couldn’t have been more impressive at Ascot on his last start. The boys deserve to have a go with him. He has won a point-to-point so he should be fine over three miles in the Albert Bartlett.”

It has already been a season to savour for 11 year old Copperhead, who holds an Ultima Handicap Chase entry, while recent recruit Rock My Way might bid to go one better than on his stable debut at Doncaster in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase.

And although their ante-post odds suggest both horses face tall orders in their respective races Tizzard has not ruled out taking the pair to the Festival.

Tizzard said “Copperhead is entered in the Ultima. He has had a wonderful season winning the Veterans’ Chase Series Final at Market Rasen and the owners are up for a day out.

“He ran well in a veterans’ chase around there, but whether we decide to go I will see. I regretted running him at Exeter just three three weeks after Market Rasen as he ran a bit flat, but this would give him a five week gap and the owners are up for it.

“Rock My Way will either go for the National Hunt Chase or to Uttoxeter on the Saturday for a three mile £50,000 novices’ handicap chase. He has only had one run for me and that came 10 days after he came into the yard. I don’t think he was settled into our routine at that point.

“The three mile six furlong trip in the National Hunt Chase will be a question mark, but we will have a look at it. I’m not covered in pressure going to Cheltenham this year as I’m not going in there with a short-priced favourite.

“I’m going there with horses that if they can produce their best it gives us a chance of being very competitive from the back of two out and hopefully from there one can pop their head out with a bit of luck and get home.”

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