Tizzard lands 8,670-1 treble

THE sun beamed down on Ladies Day but Colin Tizzard was thinking of the King George VI Chase and Kempton at Christmas after Fox Norton landed in the Melling Chase.

The seven-year-old’s win was the central leg of an 8,670-1 treble for the Dorset trainer initiated by 16-1 surprise Pingshou in the Grade One Crabbies Top Novices’ Hurdle and completed by 50-1 outsider Ultragold in the Topham Handicap Chase.

The wins of Fox Norton and Pingshou enabled Tizzard (right) to equal his seven grade one wins of last season and the trainer feels Fox Norton could be aimed at a race he has won for the last two years with Cue Card and Thistlecrack.

‘Fox Norton looked flat out on the first circuit. He could be a King George horse,’ said Tizzard, who reported Thistlecrack to be ‘mending well’ after his tendon injury.

It was Fox Norton’s strength at the finish which made the difference in his tussle with Sub Lieutenant yesterday. Both Fox Norton and Pingshou are owned by Tizzard’s heavy investing patrons Ann and Alan Potts. Yesterday’s victories followed their win with Jessica Harringtontrained Sizing John in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

After that success, the Potts had appointed Robbie Power as their retained jockey. Yester- day’s group one double were his first wins in the job. With the King George also a possible target for Sizing John, some juggling will have to be done. Power, who won the Grand National 10 years ago on Silver Birch, rides outsider Regal Encore today. Teenage colleague Harry Cobden will be having his first ride in the big race on Just A Par but the confidence of the season’s leading conditional jockey will have been boosted by his win on Ultragold. Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite also has the King George as his target after adding the Mildmay Novices’ Hurdle to his win in Cheltenham’s RSA Chase.