Tizzard targeting Neptune with Finian's

Colin Tizzard admits to being surprised by the progress of Finian's Oscar over hurdles this winter.

The five-year-old may have commanded a hefty price-tag at the sales last year, but he was bought by owners Ann and Alan Potts as a future chaser.

Be that as it may, Finian's Oscar is ante-post favourite for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after winning three on the spin for his new connections.

Tizzard said: "We didn't know he was going to end up favourite for the Neptune when we bought him.

"We thought he might win a couple of novice hurdles and go chasing next year."

Finian's Oscar, who won the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January, is also entered in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, but the Dorset handler said: "I expect it will be the Neptune.

"I've asked a lot of people about it. There have been quite a few champion hurdlers that have run in the Neptune in the past then gone back (in distance).

"You can't go to the Neptune thinking you are going to take on slower horses. We've run him over two-miles-five and two miles.

"I'm favouring the Neptune, but I don't know why I am because he is a brother to Finian's Rainbow who was a two-miler.

"They tell me the Neptune is a bit of a stop-start race, but the last half of the race is just as fast as the Supreme."

Tizzard also has high hopes for Royal Vacation, who took full advantage of the last-fence fall of Might Bite in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton and will run in the RSA Chase.

He said: "He started off on 127 at the beginning of the year and we were chuffed when he was going to be second to Might Bite. He beat some good horses at Kempton, then he came out at Cheltenham over two and a half miles and won by 15 or 20 lengths.

"He does nothing wrong. Paddy (Brennan) said you have got to go for the RSA and not the National Hunt Chase.

"What he has got in his favour is that we can run him right on the pace knowing he will stay, as I think he will stay four miles.

"He won't have to sit in a bunch with the other novices and get involved in the jumping issues which will occur in a RSA. He can go right from the start really positive and that gives him a chance."