IT’S been a strange few years for Colin Tizzard. At Plumpton on Sunday, he had his first winner (the only one previously in that spell got the race on a disqualification) in over 14 days. When interviewed, he kept his good humour saying, “we needed a winner!”

During the week the news from the stable was not so smile-inducing. Thistlecrack will miss the rest of the season after a stress fracture in his leg, stable flag bearer Cue Card, misses an intended run and the trainer has called time on the chasing career of one of the most promising horses of last season, Finian’s Oscar, with a decision to go for the Stayers Hurdle.

It’s a long way from last year when Cue Card won the Betfair, Thistlecrack won the King George, Native River took the Hennessy, Welsh National and went close in the Gold Cup and Fox Norton and Finian’s Oscar won Grade 1s at the big Festivals.

This also comes on top of some opinions that Cue Card should be retired, a change of jockey and the use of both Bryan Copper and Robbie Power on his horses.

It’s strange how luck turns in racing.

Needless to say, not everyone was complimentary in how the trainer had managed the top novice’s move up to the larger obstacles.

Finian’s Oscar gained praise and a big recommendation from Simon Rowlands in this paper after his Cheltenham win in November but two defeats later, all is not so good.

When Alan Potts was alive some of his decisions did not sit well with many race fans.

Presumably latching on to the success of Tizzard two years ago, he moved many of his horses to that yard.

It’s a strange circle that now some might wish the owner was still around and send a few horses back on the merry-go-round.