Joe Tizzard: “Royal Vacation has got a great each way chance”

We are looking for another solid run from Elegant Escape as he’s a horse that’s high up our pecking order of novice chasers. It’s only a matter of time for it all to click and he’ll land a decent prize.

1.20 Newbury – Gentleman Jon

He was travelling well at Cheltenham when he fell last time.

We could have gone for a lesser race at Wincanton next week but he’s quite ground dependent, and this is the best ground we’re going to find between now and the spring, so we’ve decided to come here.

He gets in off 10 stone 6 pounds, the track should suit him, but it’s a competitive race so we’ll see how we go.

3.00 Newbury – Royal Vacation

He ticks a lot of the boxes for this race as he’s a Grade 1 winner and a second season chaser. He always needs his first run of the season so we are very hopeful of a good performance.

If Theatre Guide can get placed in two Hennessys then I think this chap can too as he’s potentially a better horse than Theatre Guide.

He’s gone under the radar a little bit for this race, and in a way he’s gone under the radar at home too as whilst this has always been the plan, he hasn’t had the attention that Native River had going into this race.

I think he’s got a great each way chance, I really do.

His winning time in the Feltham was on a par with Thistlecrack’s win in the King George. Might Bite was putting up a crazy performance when he fell, but it shows how good a performance it was from Royal Vacation.

He was then impressive at Cheltenham in January before disappointing at the Festival. He’s a long distance staying chaser in the making.

The way he runs he always saves a bit, running behind the bridle, and you have to keep cajoling him along a bit, but I think he’s got a big valuable handicap in him. Whether he’s up to winning the Ladbrokes Trophy we’ll have to see.

I always think with the Ladbrokes Trophy you need a second season chaser that’s going to develop into a Gold Cup horse, like Native River was last year.

So I’m not sure if Royal Vacation has quite that profile but he’s certainly a good horse and has a big race in him.

Sunday

1.45 Newbury – Masters Hill

Only the six runners and it’s a £30,000 Veterans’ race on good ground, so it’s a good spot for Masters Hill.

He’s a bit in and out, but he does produce a couple of runs each season that show that he’s more than capable of winning this.

We just couldn’t turn down the temptation of running in this race. He’s a Veteran, and three miles on good ground around Leicester is ideal for him.

He ran at Aintree last time in a fifteen runner field, in exactly the same type of race, so this is a perfect race for him.

Joe