Joe Tizzard Saturday runners blog: 'He is going the right way.'

Joe Tizzard has five runners at Chepstow on Saturday, December 27, including Rock My Way in the Coral Welsh Grand National. Our ambassador previews them all in his latest blog.

Joe Tizzard Saturday runners schedule

Tennessee Tango - Chepstow - 12.00 race odds

Siam Park - Chepstow - 13.05 race odds

Ambion View - Chepstow - 14:10 race odds

Rock My Way - Chepstow - 14:50 race odds

Western General - Chepstow - 15:25 race odds

Chepstow 12.00 – Tennessee Tango

A big day for the yard, and I know it’s a big day for everyone at Coral, the Coral Welsh Grand National is a race we try to target one at each year, and luckily this year we have Rock My Way, but the day begins with a hot looking novice hurdle, where we run Tennessee Tango. 

He’s been progressive in his two starts over hurdles, we actually tweaked his wind after his first run of the season, and he ran well following that to finish third behind a nice sort [Gentleman Toboot] at Exeter.  This is a step up in class, and if he’s not up to it then at least it will be his third run and he’ll get his handicap mark, but as I say, he is going the right way.

Chepstow 1.05 – Siam Park

Siam Park has been so much better since we went chasing with him, winning four times, including at Plumpton last month. He’s gone up seven pounds for that, which won’t make life easy for him, but I think the course will really suit him, and this is his trip.  He’s going from strength to strength, and I think he has a really good chance.

Chepstow 2.10 – Ambion View

Ambion View has finished second in his two starts this season, so he’s running well, but we’re stepping him up in trip here to try something different.  I’m glad the ground is drying out as that will help him get the trip, and one of these days everything will fall right for him.  I’m very happy with him, and with the trip the only real question mark, I’m hopeful of another decent run from a very consistent type.

Chepstow 2.50, Coral Welsh Grand National – Rock My Way

As I said, this is a race we love to target, and as a yard we’ve been lucky enough to win it twice.  Rock My Way wouldn’t have too much in common with Native River, who was a Gold Cup horse of the future who went to Chepstow as a well-handicapped horse, but he would be a similar type to Elegant Escape, albeit he carries quite a bit less weight than he did when he won this.

Stepping him up to marathon trips has been the making of this fellow, he found only Haiti Couleurs too good in the National Hunt Chase – and we’re much better off at the weights with him here – and then finished fifth in the Coral Scottish National.  He then improved massively for his first run of this season to win the Berkshire National at Ascot, since when this has been the plan.

He jumps well, he stays well, and he came out of the Ascot race really well, and has been pleasing me at home since.  This is a really competitive race as it should be, but Rock My Way is a bigger and stronger horse this season than last, and I hope he has as good a chance as the betting says he has.

Chepstow 3.25 – Western General 

Western General is still paying the price for winning some fairly bad races last year, he got harshly handicapped and that’s been reflected by his recent performances. He’s still too high in the handicap in my opinion, but we have to run him and hope the handicapper relents enough to give him a chance of being competitive again.

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