Joe Tizzard Cheltenham Day One blog: ‘He’s our best chance of the week’

In the first Joe Tizzard Cheltenham Day One blog, the Coral ambassador previews his runners for the festival

Joe Tizzard Cheltenham Day One blog

2.10 – JPR One

We will have a small team here this week, but I hope they all have chances, albeit we know how hard is it to win a race here.  We had two winners at Sandown on Saturday, so it’s good to come here in form.  Our best chance of the week comes in this race, as JPR One is a horse I really like.  Bar that last fence blunder here in November he’d be a course winner, and that was an uncharacteristic mistake, as he jumps well on the whole.

Two runs ago I think he just got stuck in the heavy going at Sandown, he goes on soft so hopefully it won’t get any more testing.  He’s the shortest priced British runner, and looking at the Irish runners, there isn’t a standout contender to be scared of.

He will need a career best to win this, but he doesn’t have that much to find on the ratings.  I couldn’t be happier with him, and I hope he will be bang there jumping the last, and then, who knows how close he might go?

2.50 – Eldorado Allen

Eldorado Allen has finished second in an Arkle and third in a Ryanair Chase, so we know he goes well at Cheltenham.  The Grand National is the big aim this season, but this is a lovely prize in its own right so we have to take it seriously.  He carries top weight so Fred [Gingell] rides and takes off a valuable five pounds.

He ran a lovely race to finish fourth in the Coral Gold Cup before Christmas, and then after his last run, we just had his wind tweaked, which could make life easier for him.  It’s a typically competitive Ultima, and there are likely to be some well-handicapped horses in here off lower weights, but we’re fit and ready to run, and hopefully he can run a decent race on route to Aintree.