There’s a distinct change of pace at the Tizzard yard as April draws to a close. The final day of the jump season marks more than just a line in the calendar – it signals a shift in rhythm, both for the horses and the people who look after them.
All images : Courtenay Hitchcock
‘Last weekend was the last day of the season,’ Assistant trainer Chris Wald says. ‘So it’s all coming to a close now.’
The sense of ending is short-lived, as the new season officially begins again in early May, but in practical terms, this is the moment when the pressure eases and the yard resets.
A dry spring has accelerated that process this year. With the ground swiftly turning firm, many horses have finished their campaigns slightly earlier than usual, and in recent days a large number have been turned out.
‘We’ve taken a lot of horses’ shoes off and they’ve been turned out in the field,’ Chris says.
For the horses, it’s a welcome break. After months of training and racing, they are allowed to simply be horses again – out in social groups, on good grass, with no demands placed on them.
‘It’s the right time of year for them to be out and getting the benefits of the spring grass,’ he says. ‘They love it – just being a big herd out in the field with loads of grass.’
A surprise star
Looking back, it has been a strong season for the yard. Prize money has passed £1.3 million, the highest total since Joe Tizzard took over the licence, and there has been a steady stream of winners throughout the year.
‘The horses have run well all season,’ Chris says. ‘A good amount of winners and it’s been a really solid, enjoyable season.’
Among the biggest highlights was Alexei, whose progression from novice into the top level provided one of the standout stories of the year. ‘ He won a couple of novice hurdles last year, and we were hoping for a good season with him, really competitive and handicapped. But he won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham, and a big handicap at Ascot, and then he stepped into graded races. He won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, and then was placed in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and again at the Aintree Hurdle at Liverpool, both Grade One races. He has surprised us a little bit with his progression. You always hope that you get a few that do, who can fly the flag for the yard and give everyone a bit of fun. He’s been a real highlight, one that we can look forward to next season.’
But for now, the focus shifts away from results. Over the coming weeks, the yard will take on a different kind of work. While a handful of horses will continue to run through the summer, most of the attention turns to maintenance, preparation and the next generation.
The next few weeks have a more mundane theme – pressure washing barns, clearing stables, the annual ‘spring clean’ that keeps everything running smoothly. But there is also the work with the next generation as they begin their education.
‘We do all the breaking in and the work with the younger horses here,’ Chris says.
For staff, too, it is a chance to finally take a holiday. Routines relax slightly, and the intensity of the winter months gives way.
‘The pressure’s off for a while,’ Chris says. In July, the horses will return from their own summer holiday, the gallops will fill again, and attention will turn to the season ahead. For now, though, Chris is enjoying the annual pause, letting both horses and yard catch their breath.
