JPR One camp game for Newbury challenge next JPR One could be seen next in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on February 8. The talented Joe Tizzard-trained eight-year-old was third in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown last season, in a campaign during which he picked up Grade Two honours at Lingfield in January, having been particularly unlucky not to strike at the same level at Cheltenham in November. He returned this term with victory over Djelo in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, before having a tilt at Jonbon in the Tingle Creek at Sandown. There, he raced with plenty of zest through the initial exchanges and was still in with a shout of second from the last before settling for an honourable third, with subsequent Grade One winner Solness immediately behind him. Ascot on January 18 could come into the equation, but Newbury appears the more likely target. Tizzard said: “He came out of Sandown fine – he travelled well, he just didn’t get up the hill in the ground. “It was still probably one of his best ever runs and we will keep an eye on the Clarence House, but it is most likely he will go to Newbury for the Game Spirit before the festivals in the spring. “There might be some nice horses going there, but I would like to run him on some nice ground before the spring. “There is plenty of time between now and then and I will keep half an eye on the Clarence House just to see – we won it last year with Elixir De Nutz, but most likely he will go to Newbury.”
