3 minute read

Carlisle winner has big-race options at Newbury or Haydock.

Fiddlerontheroof  doubled his tally over fences with a tenacious victory in a strong renewal of the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle.

Colin Tizzard's seven-year-old managed just one success as a novice last season, but was adventurously campaigned throughout and placed five times at Grade One and Grade Two level.

The six-strong Carlisle feature was packed with similarly promising contenders – and after Fiddlerontheroof's fellow Grade One-winning hurdler Ahoy Senor unseated two out, having led and jumped well most of the way, there were four still in with a chance.

Brendan Powell mounted his challenge in earnest at that point, having held Fiddlerontheroof up off the pace, and they got on top after the last to win by a length and a quarter from Pay The Piper.

Joe Tizzard, assistant to his father, was therefore able to celebrate a second victory in this race in the last three years, after Lostintranslation took it for the Dorset yard and some of the same owners in 2019.

He can also start to consider whether Fiddlerontheroof should follow in his stablemate's footsteps and head next to Haydock's Betfair Chase – which Losintranslation won – or choose the alternative target next month, in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury.

Tizzard said: "He got placed behind good horses all of last season. But we rate him really highly – that's why we brought him up here.

"He's just done it nicely, and will improve for it, and then we've got a decision where we next.

"We'll just get home and have a chat about it. He's rated 148, so you might want to take advantage of his mark (in the Ladbrokes Trophy)."

Haydock will also enter discussions, however.

"We did this with Lostintranslation, and (then) won the Betfair," added Tizzard.

"It's the best part of a month, to the both of them – so it should put him spot on, I'd imagine

"Lostintranslation was odds-on and had an easier race. This horse has had a proper race, no two ways about it – it was a competitive race, a cracking renewal.

"He's a good horse. He took on the best of them last year.

"They went a good gallop, which suited him. He's got a lovely way about him, in that he doesn't waste any energy on the way round, and then he's stuck it out really nicely."

Papa Tango Charly had earlier made a notable winning debut over fences in the Gordon Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

Jonjo O'Neill's six-year-old was a hugely expensive recruit from the Irish point-to-point ranks back in 2019 – and although successful at his seventh attempt under rules, in a Worcester maiden hurdle this summer, he had as yet repaid little of the investment.

The switch to chasing appears to be exactly what he has needed, however, on the evidence of his convincing 12-length victory under Nick Scholfield.

The 15-2 winner was well on top at the line, chased home by the front-running Karl Philippe in a race full of promising rivals.