Joe Tizzard: “He should be strong enough to handle the conditions”

Trainer and Coral ambassador Joe Tizzard assesses the chances of his two runners at Sandown on Saturday and looks ahead to next week’s Cheltenham Festival.

Sandown 1.15 – Non Stop

I think it will be quite hard work for these novices on this ground, but this fellow handled heavy ground well when he won at Warwick, and probably found the better ground back at that track against him last time when he put in his only disappointing run of the season.

He does have to give weight away to most of his rivals, but he’s a big strong sort and we’ve come here as he wouldn’t have got into the Boodles at Cheltenham next week off his current mark.

Sandown 1.50 – Off To A Flyer

I’m glad Off To A Flyer has just snuck into this EBF Final down the bottom of the handicap, as it has been the target. It was soft ground when he finished third in a good race at Kempton at Christmas so he should be able to cope with this.

He arguably should have won at Exeter last time, he just got done late on, but he’s a progressive sort who is now growing into the horse we thought he could be. I think he’s got a decent each-way chance off this mark of 115, it is just a case of how he handles the conditions.

I can see this being a typical Sandown race where there are plenty in contention turning for home, but by the time they jump the second last, quite a few have been pulled up, but as a six-year-old I’m hoping he’s strong enough to handle the uphill finish.