Carlisle Sunday

THE Colin Parker Memorial has thrown up some high-class winners in the past, notably Many Clouds, Waiting Patiently and Colin Tizzard’s Gold Cup third Lostintranslation.

It was the last-named winner’s stable-companion Fiddlerontheroof (Brendan Powell) who proved strongest in a fascinating renewal, getting the better of the gallant Pay The Piper (Ann Hamilton/Danny McMenamin) from the last fence to win by a length and a quarter. The winner was the best-backed horse in the race, returning at 7/2.

Favourite Espoir de Romay was third, but was below his best and rather laboured, while Grade 1 hurdle winner Ahoy Senor unseated after losing his footing at the second-last fence.

Lucinda Russell’s charge had been headed after making the running, but went with promise against experienced rivals, and should find this aiding his development.

Joe Tizzard, soon to take over the licence at the family’s Spurles Farm yard, was delighted with the win, and looking forward to seeing the winner at Newbury next:

“We’re chuffed to bits with Fiddlerontheroof. We rate him really high, and we’ve got a decision to make with where we go next. He’s entered in the Ladbrokes Trophy, and it might be quite tempting to take advantage of his mark of 148.

This was a competitive race on paper, and they went a good gallop, which suited him. He’s took on the best, but he never disappointed us. He’s had a proper race, but this should put him spot on now.”

Gold for Eldorado Allen in the Haldon

Exeter Tuesday

THE return to form of the Colin Tizzard stable continued at Exeter on Tuesday when last season’s Arkle runner-up Eldorado Allen (Brendan Powell) overhauled favourite Hitman (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) close home to register a 9/2 success in the track’s feature event.

The pair made their moves together but on either side of the weakening front runners in the straight, until Hitman hung markedly right under pressure, crossing the winner at the final fence, and forcing Powell to switch.

The winner did well in the circumstances, proving his stamina beyond two miles in the process.

The runner-up travelled very well, and gave the impression that the lack of a run may have been his undoing, but he did get the better run around the final bend, and inconvenienced the winner by running across him, so it’s not certain that he will reverse form should the pair meet again, which must be likely.

Last season’s winner Greaneteen found the combination of a much bigger weight and stronger company too much, but also shaped as if the run will aid his fitness.

Joe Tizzard envisages stepping the winner up in trip after this gutsy win, with a trip to Huntingdon on the horizon:

“We will probably be looking at going a bit further now. The Peterborough Chase could be a race we look at, as he has put himself in that sort of bracket.

“He could be a Ryanair horse as we get further down the line.”