Joe Tizzard Sunday runners blog: 'I think he's got a great each-way chance'

Joe Tizzard has several runners on Sunday at Cheltenham and Fontwell, and the Coral ambassador previews them all in his latest blog.

• Triple Trade - Cheltenham - 14:20 race odds

• Alexei - Cheltenham - 15:30 race odds

• Mark Of Zorro - Fontwell - 15:52 race odds

There was plenty of rain on Friday, but this fellow is one who won’t mind it, he goes through soft ground really well, and we know he goes well at Cheltenham too.  He actually had a bit of a sinus problem last season, which impacted his campaign, but one positive result of that is that he’s dropped to what looks like a very workable handicap mark of 123.  He seems in great form at home, and so I think he’s got a great each-way chance.

This looks a very hot renewal of the Greatwood Hurdle, with all the leading contenders declared, but he won very well at Ascot last time, and deserves to take his chance.  Very soft ground is an unknown, and he did bounce off good ground last time, but this has been the plan, and we won’t be put off by the rain.

You can’t go into a race this competitive feeling ultra-confident, but I don’t think a seven pounds rise for his Ascot win was too harsh, and I am looking forward to running him.  He won four times on the Flat in Germany so he was hardly a dark horse, but he’s just so progressive, we wouldn’t know where he’s going to end up. 

I can’t remember the yard ever having a runner in the Greatwood, Dad [Colin] built his reputation with classy staying chasers, so this feels like something different, and I’m not sure we’ve ever had a hurdler with so much pace, so it does make it even more exciting.

This horse was a big baby last season, but he ran well on his comeback here at Fontwell last month.  Ours have generally improved for their first run, so he should too, and off a mark of 91 I think he should be very competitive here.

Joe Tizzard has runners all weekend, and he's previewed all of the non-Sunday ones in his Friday and Saturday Coral blog.

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