CHELTENHAM NEWS

The Big Breakaway heading straight to Cheltenham

Joe Tizzard says The Big Breakaway will go straight to Cheltenham after opting against a trip to Saturday’s Ascot meeting.

The six-year-old was due to head to Wetherby two weeks ago but when that meeting was abandoned due to the weather connections confirmed their intention to go to Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Colin Tizzard was keen to see his charge in action one more time ahead of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

However, they have withdrawn their interest in the Ascot date after assessing the going and he looks set for further action after the Festival.

“It’s purely ground related – we didn’t want to bottom him,” said assistant trainer Joe Tizzard.

“If it had been slightly better ground we’d have run. We’re just wary of three miles on soft to heavy ground, and we didn’t fancy it.

“We got three runs into him in the first half of the season – and not running this weekend gives the option of going to Cheltenham, Aintree, and we could even think about Punchestown.

“Had we run this weekend it might have left a mark, and we wouldn’t have been able to think about all three, so we’re giving him a chance.”