Sizing Tennessee lands impressive win in Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury

Colin Tizzard’s emerging star came home a massive 10 lengths clear of Elegant Escape in second to give the trainer a memorable first and second in Britain’s second-richest handicap chase.

First established in 1957 as the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, the Ladbrokes Trophy is the feature race to the climax of the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival at Newbury. The race has a rich history in its previous incarnation having been won by racing legends such as Arkle, Mill House, Burrough Hill Lad and more recently Denman.

Sizing Tennessee added its name to that roll of honour and in some style. Ridden by Tom Scudamore, the 10-year-old son of Robin Des Champs travelled menacingly into contention approaching the home straight and once the pair took the lead the result was never in doubt.
Elegant Escape, ridden by Harry Cobden, ran on well in the closing stages to finish second and despite being well-beaten by the winner was seven lengths ahead of Dingo Dollar in third who was prominent throughout. West Approach who came fifth also hails from Tizzard’s base on the Somerset/Dorset border.

Reflecting on his second Ladbrokes Trophy victory following on from Native River in 2016, Tizzard said: “That was a brilliant performance from Sizing Tennessee. It was fantastic to win and it’s an unreal day.

“We haven’t run this horse since he bolted up at Fontwell in October. We wanted to give him one race before Christmas and he delivers that performance. Sizing Tennessee had leg trouble before he came to me and he was a horse who had low mileage.

“Sizing Tennessee strode away today and obviously it does surprise you with the manner in which he won. I thought he would run a big race and he was travelling well on the way into the straight. He was the horse in the home straight that if he didn’t clobber one, he was going to win.

“To have three in the first five in a race of this nature is incredible.”

An emotional Scudamore, successful for the second time in the Ladbrokes Trophy after Madison Du Berlais in 2008, commented: “I lost my grandad two weeks ago, my mother’s father, and it was his funeral yesterday, but I wasn’t able to go.

“Those are the sacrifices you make and I was so sorry that I wasn’t able to be there, but he was with us today. He was a tremendous man, a legend in the Ledbury area, and he helped a lot of people. It’s one is for him.

“Sizing Tennessee has always been a good horse – I have said that all along and I really fancied him. I told Dave Roberts (agent) that this was the one I wanted to ride if I was given the choice.

“His novice chase form from last season is very good. If you fancied Ms Parfois, you had to fancy this fellow because of how they ran at Cheltenham. We were meeting them all on better terms as well – his Fontwell run had turned out well as the second horse had come out and won twice since.

“Even though he is 10, I felt that he was slightly under the radar. I didn’t expect to win quite that well but a win is a win.

“It is one of the finest chases in the country and it means an awful lot. Dan Fortt won it in 1993 on Cogent and he helped me an awful lot today, even though I have ridden in the race plenty of times. From a long way out, Sizing Tennessee was going nicely and it was just up to me not to mess it up.

“I have a good association with the Tizzards. I am very lucky with the people that I ride for – David Pipe has been so good to me over the years and I have had a lot of success with Colin. Long may it continue.”