'He still loves it' - Tizzard talks up Native River despite Haydock absence

The Colin Tizzard stable is in flying form and the trainer's son and assistant Joe is confident their good run can continue in the coming weeks, including with old favourite Native River.

Tizzard was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday's newspaper in which he reflected on the family fighting back from turbulent times, including last season's meagre haul on the track of just 37 winners.

The Tizzards are already more than halfway towards passing that total after sending out eight winners in the last fortnight and, although Native River was scratched from Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock, it won't be long before the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero is attempting to add to the yard's good form – provided we get rain.

"Native River is 11, nearly 12, now but he's in great shape and just needs the rain," said Joe Tizzard. "He's an old man and it's not really fair on him to run him on ground that's not perfect for him, so he'll miss the Betfair Chase and he'll probably go to the Many Clouds at Aintree in a couple of weeks, as long as it rains between now and then.

Fidderontheroof: set to represent the Tizzards in the Ladbrokes TrophyCredit: David Davies

"He schooled real good yesterday morning and he's in bloody lovely form, retains a lot of ability and still absolutely loves it. But I spoke to Garth [Broom, owner] the other day and we promised ourselves we'd only run him on proper soft ground, so he could dominate and the mud would slow the others down, and not good to soft, where he'd be rushed off his feet and have to be pushed along from the start, because that's not nice for us to watch.

"The worry was that it would rain for two weeks and we'd get soft ground for the Many Clouds, but we wouldn't be able to run him because he'd had a hard race at Haydock, so I'm happy we're doing the right thing. He'll have all the big entries in the spring, of course, but we'll go where's right for him."

The yard will also have a big runner next weekend, with Fiddlerontheroof prominent in the betting for the Ladbrokes Trophy.

"He looked good when he broke the course record at Carlisle first time up this season and Newbury will tell us where we stand with him," said Tizzard. "If he's going to go right to the top, he needs to be competitive in this off 148 – it's as simple as that."

Read more from Joe Tizzard in the Big Read, available online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday or in Sunday's Racing Post newspaper. Click here to sign up.

Read this next:

2021 Betfair Chase at Haydock: the runners, the odds, the verdict

New William Hill customers can get £50 in free bets if they sign up here using promo code Y50 and place a £10 bet. Min £10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 5 x £10, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. 18+. Find out the full terms and conditions here.