Tizzard buzzing ahead of JPR One’s Haldon Gold Cup bid Joe Tizzard has issued a clear warning to all contenders ahead of the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup — bring your A-game to Aintree because JPR One has never been in better form. Even on past results Tizzard’s strapping nine-year-old sets a high bar for the five other runners, having won the race in 2024 and also finished third behind Thistle Ask 12 months ago, both run at the Grade Two contest’s former home of Exeter. Yet the most recent evidence from Cheltenham two weeks ago where JPR One produced a stirring weight-carrying performance to win under 12 stone and take his mark to a career high 161, adds weight to Tizzard’s theory that he is better than ever. Jonjo O’Neill jnr will replace the injured Brendan Powell in the saddle when he lines up on Merseyside on Friday. Tizzard Unfazed by Top Weight and Venue Switch “JPR One is in the form of his life and he only went up 3lb for winning at Cheltenham,” said Tizzard. “He came out of the race really well and while he controls the weights a little bit at the top he is a big strong boy and is in the form of his life. He can handle carrying a big weight. “He came out of Cheltenham great as well. It was a super run but he bounces around two miles on this type of ground so you don’t get hard races that way, hence you can run him (two weeks later). He will be entered in the Shloer Chase next weekend as well and we will take it day by day really. “I don’t think the switch from Exeter to Aintree matters too much to him either. He has won a Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and he has run well at Aintree before as well.” Tizzard’s affinity with this race runs deep, winning it as a rider aboard the Paul Nicholls-trained pair of Lake Kariba (1998) and Flagship Uberalles (1999) before adding a third victory on his father Colin’s super talented Cue Card back in 2012. He has also won it twice since taking over the training licence at Venn Farm, with JPR One’s success preceded by that of Elixir De Nutz a year earlier. Mirabad Returns to Scene of Grade One Glory Dan and Harry Skelton struck gold last season with Thistle Ask and are this year represented by Mirabad, who claimed a shock Grade One win in the Maghull Novices’ Chase over the course in distance in the spring and returns fit from a good run over the smaller obstacles behind Champion Hurdle outsider Wilful at Carlisle. Ladbrokes ambassador Dan Skelton said: “Mirabad runs in the rearranged Haldon Gold Cup and it’s a race we’ve had in mind for some time. “He ran over hurdles the other day at Carlisle and did better than expected. I couldn’t believe how well he ran and I am looking forward to this. I have no negatives and he should run really well around a track where he has won a Grade One.” Nicholls has saddled a record eight winners of the Haldon Gold Cup and will have high hopes for Rubaud, who was just over four lengths behind Mirabad when giving him 6lb at Carlisle and has every right to be closer with a 17lb turnaround over fences. French Recruit Stencil Starts on Fresh Slate Tom George has also won this race three times and is represented by the JP McManus-owned Stecil, who was trained by his son Noel and Amanda Zetterholm in France last season. “He has been in France but we do know plenty about him as he spent quite a lot of time here going back and forwards last winter,” said George. “We think he has had the right prep but it is hard to know. He is a talented horse but nothing has really gone his way in England. “It is like starting on a fresh slate and it is a good race to start off in and find out where we are with him.” Anthony Honeyball sends Brookie to the race in first time cheekpieces in an effort to liven up his game after he became detached at Ascot last week before finishing with a degree of promise. A small yet intriguing field is completed by the Tom Ellis-trained Daytime Dreaming, the winner of chases at Southwell and Newbury last season, but taking a significant jump up in class on his first appearance of the season.
