Joe Tizzard Cheltenham 2026 day four runners blog: 'This horse is classier than our previous winner of the race'

Joe Tizzard has one runner on the final day of Cheltenham Festival. The Coral ambassador previews that and offers his thoughts on Alexei's run in the Champions Hurdle om Tuesday in his latest blog.

Joe Tizzard Cheltenham day four runners blog - March 13, 2026

Joe Tizzard Cheltenham day four runners schedule

• Kripticjim - Cheltenham - 3.20 race odds

3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – Kripticjim

The Albert Bartlett is a race we’ve done well in before, and this year we run Kripticjim, who has had a brilliant season.  He was beaten by a nice mare of Dave Pipe’s [Kingston Queen] at Chepstow first time up, and hasn’t looked back since, winning at Ascot, Newbury and a Grade 2 here at Cheltenham on Trials day.

He’s not run over three miles yet, and we did have him in the Turners earlier in the week, but I think the step up in trip will suit him so we’ve waited for this.  He’s improving all the time, and I don’t think we’ve got to the bottom of him yet, so I think he comes here with a massive each-way chance.

Kilbricken Storm won this race for the yard eight years ago, and this fellow is a better horse than that one, he was a proper stayer but Kripticjim is a classier horse.  He will need to be, as this looks a decent renewal, and hopefully the ground won’t get too much softer, but I’m really excited to run him.

Thoughts on Alexei

Alexei ran a great race in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, he made a mistake at the last which may have cost him a place, but if you’d have said at the start of the season he’d finish fourth in a Champion Hurdle, I’d never have believed you.  We’ll look at the 2 ½ mile race at Aintree for him, I think he’ll get that trip OK, and if he’s fit and well I see no reason not to go there.

LooKing further ahead we’d be looking at races like the Fighting Fifth Hurdle next season, we’re a yard known for training great chasers, so this gives us lots of pride and pleasure to show we can train a top class hurdler too.

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