The Changing Man

The Changing Man unseated his rider at the first of the Railway Fences in the Grade 2 three-mile novices’ chase at Sandown on Friday, it was obviously far too far out to know how he would have fared had he not departed, but he had been doing everything really well before that. His jumping had been good and he was travelling well, he was going easily without being too keen. The winner Stay Away Fay does find lots for pressure, and he stayed on well to see of Giovinco, but Giovinco had been keen for much of the race and that may have told in the end. It would have been really interesting to see how The Changing Man would have fared.

Joe Tizzard’s horse finished second behind Stay Away Fay on their respective chasing bows over three miles at Exeter last month and, on that occasion too, it looked like The Changing Man was travelling better at the top of the home straight. He went on, he led on the run to the last, so there was a lot to like about the manner in which Stay Away Fay battled back on the near side. Stay Away Fay is, of course, a high-class stayer, he won the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, and the form of that Exeter race was also enhanced when the third horse, Grey Dawning, came out and beat Gaillard Du Mesnil in a graduation chase at Haydock last month, albeit over a distance that was shorter than ideal for the runner-up. But there may not be that much between Stay Away Fay and The Changing Man, and Joe Tizzard’s horse may be under-rated wherever he goes next. He has the option to drop down in trip too.

Sandown, 8^th December 2023