JPR One out to continue team Tizzard’s love affair with BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup on day one of West Country Weekend

JPR One is set to represent trainer Joe Tizzard in the £100,000 BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Friday 8th November – day one of the West Country Weekend.

The extended two miles and a furlong Grade Two limited handicap chase is held in warm regard by the Dorset-based Tizzard family. During his time as a jockey, Tizzard won the race three times aboard Lake Kariba (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Cue Card (2012). His father Colin saddled Cue Card to victory and was also successful with Eldorado Allen (2021). Having taken over the trainer’s licence from his father in the 2022/23 season, last year saw Joe enjoy a first training success in the contest courtesy of Elixir De Nutz with the stable’s War Lord taking third for good measure.

Speaking on the family’s affection for the Haldon Gold Cup, Joe Tizzard said: “We try and plan for the Haldon Gold Cup every year if we’ve got something good enough for it.

“I was lucky enough to have won it three times as a jockey, twice for Paul (Nicholls) and once for dad with Cue Card. Dad also won it with Eldorado Allen and for me to win it last year with Freddie (Gingell, his nephew) riding was very special. Terry Warner (owner of Elixir De Nutz) was down there with his grandchildren Jack and Ella which made it a real special family day and it gave us a lot of pleasure.”

The six-year-old JPR One scored twice last season as a novice chaser, winning on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot and landing the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase at Lingfield Park.

On the plan to run the John Romans-owned gelding in the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup, the trainer added: “The plan this year is to take JPR One there for his first run of the season. He won his first race at Exeter, beating I Am Maximus (winner of the 2024 Randox Grand National at Aintree) and he has always been a gorgeous athletic horse. He won a Grade Two for us last season and probably should have won two – he was unlucky at Cheltenham (when unseating at the last). He is rated 149 – I could have gone to Cheltenham for a two-miler last weekend but I said from the middle of last season that I wanted to start off at Exeter with him. 

“It tends to be six or seven good horses in the Haldon Gold Cup and they all tend to go on and be good horses after it. Exeter is a very fair track and we start a lot of good horses off there. They get good ground and while the fences are a proper test, Exeter is a fair track and the right horse tends to win. 

“If JPR One is going to take the next step, he needs to run a big race in the Haldon Gold Cup. We can then look at the Tingle Creek and going down that route. He is knocking on the door but still has to do it to take the next step. If he is a Graded horse, he should put up a bold show off 149 in the Haldon Gold Cup.”

On his family’s love of Exeter Racecourse and support for the West Country Weekend, which continues at Wincanton on Saturday 9th November, Tizzard concluded: “We are West Country trainers and love Exeter as a track. It is a big day with the Badger Beer at Wincanton the following day as part of West Country Weekend and it would be a bad job if we couldn’t support it with our best horses. Our horses are in really cracking form at the moment and we are really looking forward to it.”

For further information and to purchase tickets for the West Country Weekend, please head to https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/events-tickets/west-country-weekender/ Customers can save £17 by buying a West Country Weekend ticket, which offers admission to both Exeter and Wincanton.