With the news of Colm Murphy's retirement surfacing over the last few days, Colin Tizzard has today revealed he has taken 15 horses owned by Alan and Ann Potts into his yard, including exciting second season chaser Sizing Granite. Great news for Tizzard who enjoyed such a tremendous last season with Cue Card and Thistlecrack propelling towards 1.4M quid in prize money. Couldn't happen to a nicer man than Mr. Tizaaaaaaaaaaaard This from Racing Post: IN CUE CARD and Thistlecrack he has two of the most exciting horses around – and now Colin Tizzard’s firepower is set to grow even greater with 15 horses from Alan and Ann Potts coming to his yard. The leading owners have moved all their horses trained by Colm Murphy, who has announced his retirement, to Tizzard. The first dozen, including Grade 1-winning chaser Sizing Granite, arrived on Sunday morning. “The phone call came out of the blue at Friday dinnertime and it was one of the best I’ve ever had in racing,” said Tizzard, who has not had a runner in the Potts colours before. “Alan said Colm was retiring and would I like to train them? Obviously I said yes. “They’re lovely looking horses and hopefully we’ll have some fun with Alan and Ann. We’ve shuffled a few around and got them into the yard, where we’ve now got 85. “I’ve met Alan and Ann a few times. At Cheltenham in March we sat talking about horses in the owners’ and trainers’ marquee. To have the patronage of another big owner is fantastic.” Last season was the most glorious in Tizzard’s career as he topped £1.4 million in prize-money and won seven Grade 1s, and he hopes the new association will keep the curve upward. He said: “We’ve got to thank the likes of Cue Card, Thistlecrack and Native River for making us more high-profile. It’s lovely. When the first 12 horses came off the lorry at 6.30am today I thought, ‘This is fantastic’. “We’d love to be at the top table all the time and hopefully this will make us a little bit closer.” 'I'm just getting to know them' Sizing Granite won four of his first five starts over fences, clinching the Maghull Novices’ Chase last year when trained by Henry de Bromhead. Others to arrive include Bally Longford, a chase winner at last year’s Galway festival, Viconte Du Noyer, third in the Red Rum Chase at Aintree in April, chasers Sizing Codelco and Sizing Platinum, and hurdlers Sizing Tennessee and Sizing Brisbane. Several of the new arrivals were with De Bromhead last season but were transferred to Murphy after the owners severed links, ending a relationship in which the Champion Chase success of Sizing Europe was the highlight. Tizzard said: “I’m just getting to know them and I’ll be speaking to Colm Murphy. Sizing Granite is obviously a decent horse. There are four three-year-olds among them who have been bought at the sales. Three more are coming this week.” Plans for established stars Thistlecrack, winner of three of those 2015-16 Grade 1s, will school over fences next week, although his chasing debut, planned for Chepstow on October 8, may be delayed. Tizzard said: “We’ll need a lot of rain. He won’t be going there on good ground. He’s a big, heavy horse and we’ve got to mind him.” On Aintree winner Native River, he said: “I think we’ll go straight to the Hennessy with him off a mark of 154. He’ll have a good chance.” Cue Card is set to return in the Charlie Hall Chase on October 29 and Tizzard said the ten-year-old had lost none of his zip. He said: “He’s doing faster work and was out on the gallops like a three-year-old yesterday, he’s that enthusiastic.”
Good news for Tizzard this. He excels with his chasers and Potts seems to go for horses that are always expected to make the step up to fences so this is a good partnership I think.
I didn't realise Colin had 85 housed. That's a good number to have on the go and with two stars in Cue Card and Thistlecrack the yard looks in pretty good shape. Exciting times there. Great to see he has got Sizing Tennessee. I know Willie Mullins had really high hopes for this horse but he found him extremely hard to get right when in his care. Hopefully Colin can get him fit and he could well become a really nice chaser down the line. Being a Robin Des Champs he will appreciate a fence and a good trip once he stays sound.
Good news for the Tizzards but tough for the De Bromhead yard. Nothing has been reported regarding the reason for the split but I always thought De Bromhead came across as a straight up bloke on TV. That will now mean that if any of these horses make it to the festival in March these Potts horses will now be running for GB in the non event which is the Prestbury Cup. I hope Irish fans of NH racing will not take that bombshell too badly.
We're devastated Chan and a strongly worded letter is being written right now to explain our discontent.
Yeah I also have met HDB at previews/race meets etc and he comes across as a thoroughly nice man tbf. Perhaps the Potts just wanted a change of scenery, a new adventure if you will. I'm sure all will be revealed in due time.
Just need Rich Ricci to send a few more to Seven Barrows and it will be GB versus Gigginstown. O'Leary will never send any over here though as he's pissed off with us for voting for Brexit.
Potts is meant to be hard work of the highest order and expects every horse he gets to become Sizing Europe reincarnated. Could be fireworks between Tizzard and himself at some point!
