Joe Tizzard Saturday runners blog: 'I hope he will improve from Ascot'

Coral presents its latest Joe Tizzard blog, with the leading trainer previewing his two runners on Saturday at Doncaster and Newcastle.

I’ve always thought a lot of this fellow, so I was a little bit disappointed with his last run, when he just weakened out of it. It was his first run for a long time, and he will definitely strip fitter for the outing, but even so, I was expecting a bit more from him.

That said, I think he might just be a horse who needs a couple of runs for the penny to drop, Ascot was only his fifth run, so there’s plenty of time for him to learn his job, I’m certainly not lost any faith in him. 

We’re dropping him down in grade here, he’s only a couple of pounds off the top rated and it looks a nice opportunity for him to learn some more. He’s also up in trip, which I think will suit, and I hope he will improve from Ascot.

The Changing Man was running a big race when falling in the Badger Beer, had he have won that race we’d have run him in the Coral Gold Cup, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. There were no issues with him after the fall, which is the most important thing, and this race is a lovely prize in its own right. 

He stays well, he’s versatile groundwise, and that mistake at Wincanton was not something he makes a habit of, so he goes here with a favourite’s chance, albeit it’s a competitive race as it should be for the money. The owners are from Newcastle, so for them to have a big runner at their local track is a nice bonus, and I hope he can give them a day to remember.

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