Tizzards on their top Cheltenham Festival runners - and the big National hope

The Tizzards expect the Cheltenham Festival handicaps will offer them the best opportunity to break a three-year drought at the iconic meeting while excitement is in the air for a rare shot in the biggest handicap of them all – with Fiddlerontheroof set to be their best chance yet of claiming Randox Grand National glory.

Fiddlerontheroof is unlikely to take in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup before his Aintree tilt while recent Denman Chase scorer Eldorado Allen will not be supplemented for the race. He is to contest the Ryanair Chase, for which he is a general 12-1.

Among the leading Cheltenham chances for team Tizzard is Grand Annual duo Elixir De Nutz and Amarillo Sky, while 2020 Gold Cup third Lostintranslation is poised for his first test in handicap company in the Ultima, on the first day of the meeting on March 15. Oscar Elite will also run in the Kim Muir.

Joining Eldorado Allen in tackling Grade 1 prizes is Arkle challenger War Lord, impressive at the Winter Million fixture when last seen, while exciting prospects Jpr One and Scarface will feature in the Supreme and Ballymore respectively.

Joe Tizzard, currently an assistant trainer but due to take over the licence from father Colin at the end of the season, said: "I think we've got some nice horses in the handicaps but we haven't got a standout chance.

Fidderontheroof: could be the Tizzards' best shot at Grand National gloryCredit: David Davies

"Our highest rated one is Eldorado Allen, who goes into it on the back of winning the Denman, so he'd have to have a really competitive each-way chance.

"The two in the Grand Annual could run big races and if it got softer and something happened to Edwardstone then War Lord would have to sneak in. They'd be the four main ones."

Lostintranslation is the most high profile of the festival squadron. The two-time Grade 1 winner is as big as 20-1 for the Ultima, having been pulled up when last seen in the Ascot Chase.

"He's got very ground dependant as he's got older," Tizzard added. "You could see at Ascot after the third fence he was hating the ground. If you go back to his form on better ground, like his third in a Gold Cup, there's no reason why he couldn't run well in an Ultima. Off 155 he could be very competitive. Graded horses in handicaps find it that bit slower and are able to travel and we're hoping that's what'll happen with him."

A tenth-place finish is the best Colin Tizzard has achieved in the Grand National but hopes are certainly high ahead of Fiddlerontheroof's bid next month.

The eight-year-old, who was second to Monkfish at last season's Cheltenham Festival, was a runner-up again at Ascot last time and is no bigger than 25-1 for Aintree glory.

Tizzard adds: "The old man tells me every morning that the best preparation for the Grand National is the Gold Cup but I don't know.

Randox Grand National: betting and entries

"I don't think we'll run him in the Gold Cup unless he wows us next week, the plan is the Grand National. At Ascot last time it wasn't a pretty watch, he's normally a better traveller and he didn't jump or travel as well as he can. He's a class horse and he should be competitive off 155.

"We haven't really had a proper stab at the National with the right horse. I mentioned it to Dad at Christmas as I'd talked to the boys, I said we'd run in the National and he replied 'oh, I'll have that in my name still.' He'd have to be the best we've ever sent there in terms of ticking boxes.

"They've set up the [National] fences down at [David] Pipe's, we'll go down there a couple of times and give him a pop and do it all properly. We've got plenty of time."

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