COLIN Tizzard has often been characterised as a dairy farmer who dabbles in training horses, and while that description does him a huge disservice, it was once quite true; when son Joe was a promising teenage amateur, Tizzard took up training to provide him with opportunities, only to find that he had something of a knack with a staying chaser, and soon he was getting enquiries from family and friends who wanted a horse in training.

Tizzard upgraded to a full licence and enjoyed great success with Joe Lively for lifelong friend Richard Dimond, who won seven chases as a novice, including the Grade 1 Feltham (now the Kauto Star) at Kempton. The milking still came first, however.