THE Tizzard’s are likely to use the Reynoldstown at Ascot as Slate House’s pre-Cheltenham Festival prep.
The eight-year-old continued his climb through the novice chasing ranks with an impressive win in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.
He was trimmed by the bookies for the RSA Chase on the back of that success, with Coral tops at 14-1.
And Joe Tizzard reckons the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase, staged on 15 February, is the perfect stepping stone.
He said: “The Reynoldstown is the obvious race for him. It’s a Grade 2 around Ascot and it would be ideal for him.
“We won it last year with Mister Malarky so that is the race we initially thought of. He has come out of his race at Kempton well.
“We were looking at races for him on Trials Day and he could go for the Cotswold Chase as he is good around Cheltenham and the owners are open to having a crack at anything.
“He will almost certainly end up in the RSA though.”
Meanwhile, Grade 1 winner Kilbricken Storm will be aimed at a Pertemps qualifier following his encouraging third at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Tizzard said: “It was a lovely run. I’m chuffed with him as he travelled well. He broke his pelvis last season and these two runs this season will act as confidence boosters.
“I think he will improve again and will gain in confidence going forward.
“We need to get him qualified for the Pertemps as that is the only handicap he can run in at the Festival, so I would have thought his next run would be in a qualifier.”
