JPR One in his stable at the Tizzard yard

Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase preview: JPR One all set for Sandown

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Wed December 06, 2023 · 2y ago

Brendan Powell is out to secure Joe Tizzard a first Grade One as a trainer as well as adding riding a winner at the highest level to his own CV aboard JPR One in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

In a career spanning more than a decade the 28-year-old is yet to taste Grade One glory despite several near misses. However, he believes he will not have a better chance to claim a breakthrough victory at the top table that has so far eluded him in the £80,000 prize.

Not only would victory give Powell a win he has been longing for, but he feels it would make up for his final fence departure aboard the six-year-old in the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last month with the race at their mercy.

And while a first Grade One win in the two-mile prize would be a welcome one for Powell he insists it would mean much more if he could share that moment with Milborne Port handler Tizzard, who celebrated numerous top-level triumphs during his own career in the saddle.

Powell said: “I’m really looking forward to riding JPR One again as he looked like he was going to be an impressive winner at Cheltenham before making a mistake and getting rid of me at the last fence.

“This is a race that will take a bit of winning but I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse bar him and hopefully I can make up for what happened at Cheltenham on Saturday.

“I think I’ve been second in seven or eight Grade Ones, but I don’t think I’ve ridden in a Grade One where I’ve had a proper live chance, but this weekend I do and that makes it even more exciting.

“It is something I want to get on my CV, and it is something I want to achieve before I finish my career. To win a Grade One for Joe would mean just as much to me as winning a Grade One for myself. I think Joe was a big influence on me riding for the Tizzard team again.

“I’ll always be grateful to him for that and to repay him with a Grade One win would be amazing."

While cutting out a frustrated character in the immediate aftermath of JPR One’s latest defeat, the Chiseldon based jockey has been pleased with the start to life over fences the John Romans-owned gelding has made.

Powell said: “That was the frustrating thing as he didn’t put a foot wrong the whole way around at Cheltenham. He jumped and travelled and quickened well turning in. He has got all the attributes to be a good horse.

“He gave me a good spin at Newton Abbot on his debut over fences and I was quite surprised the price he was that day as well. He was seriously well handicapped that day if he came back to form over fences.

“The most important thing for our novice chasers is that they have a nice time and a good experience first time over fences. He did that, and managed to win as well, which was a bonus. Hopefully on Saturday he should be good enough to be there, or thereabouts, at the backend of the race then I suppose it will be then when we find out if he is good enough.”

Having partnered JPR One in eight of his nine starts to date Powell knows him better than anyone. And he believes that this is unlikely to be the last Grade One prize he tackles in his career.

He said: “I’ve gelled with him pretty much from the word go as he is pretty straightforward. He was very impressive on his first ever start for us at Exeter.

“There was a stage when he was a novice over hurdles where he did run a bit keen in his races, but he has grown up a hell of a lot as he has got older and he races properly now. The sky is the limit at the moment.

“I’ve schooled him, and sat on him, since Cheltenham and touchwood he has come out of the race fine.

“He has got a good head on his shoulders and I don’t think the mishap will have done him any harm at all.

“I’ve never been one to get too carried away, but we think the world of him. He has still got to go and prove it, but fingers crossed he can.”

On Friday Powell will partner JPR One’s stablemate The Changing Man, who will attempt to go one better than on his debut over fences at Exeter in the Grade Two Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase.

While his conqueror at the Devon track Stay Away Fay from the Paul Nicholls yard will be in opposition once again Powell expects the six-year-old to be on the premises if building on his first start over fences.

He said: “The horse of Dan’s (Skelton, Grey Dawning) who finished third has since gone and bolted up at Haydock Park which gave the form a good boost. He is a horse we have always liked. When you look at his form last season and you see a lot of seconds by his name that would lead to some people questioning his attitude, but I would not be one of those questioning it.

“We always thought he would make a better chaser. If you look at the size of him there are not too many horses I feel slightly small on, but he is one of them.

“In his first couple of runs he could barely get out of his own way, but once the penny dropped he has done nothing but improve. It was a good first run at Exeter. Stay Away Fay is a Grade One horse and he probably won quite snug in the end, but it will be a different test on Friday. All being well with a clear run he should go close again.

“He is definitely not turning up there to make up the numbers and I would be disappointed if he is not in the mix from the back of two out.”

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