A love of Plymouth Argyle

Owners’ Day successfully dodged downpours, and Chris Wald shares life behind the scenes at Tizzard Racing – from flat caps to a favourite horse

Despite threatening skies and some well-timed dashes for cover, Tizzard Racing’s annual Owners’ Day went ahead as planned – horses paraded, wine flowed and old friends caught up – between showers …
‘The forecast was awful – proper heavy rain – but we managed to get through it,’ says assistant trainer Chris Wald. ‘There were a few owners running for cover during the parade, but it wasn’t the total washout we feared. It’s such a nice way to get everyone back together again.
‘At the height of the season, you see each other all the time at races. But once it goes quiet in the spring, you tend to lose touch. Owners’ Day brings everyone back.’
As the yard shifts into winter mode, things are already picking up: ‘We’ve had our first couple of runners back now,’ Chris says. ‘Striking A Pose ran at Newton Abbot and finished a really good second, just beaten by a neck. So that’s encouraging. They’re all fairly fit, and once the rain comes and the ground’s right, we’ll be away.’
It’s been another strange season for weather – after the drought, a few weeks of rain, but then another dry spell saw the streams start to dwindle. ‘It just goes like that,’ Chris shrugs. ‘You’d think weeks of rain would last longer… but it doesn’t.’

Meet Chris Wald
Through the coming season, as well as yard news we’ll be introducing some of the Tizzard team. And where better place to start than with Chris Wald, who has been part of the operation for eight years:

How did you arrive here?
I grew up eventing – started riding young, and worked for the event rider Austin O’Connor for a couple of years. Then I went to university at Cirencester and started riding out for Fergal O’Brien – that was my first experience of racing. After that, I spent three years as pupil assistant at David Dennis’s yard before moving down here. Pupil assistants are learning to become trainers; they oversee the smaller things like bandaging, or if a horse’s bucket is broken, or a tail needs trimming. They keep things ticking along.

What’s your role at Tizzards?
I’m assistant trainer to Joe now. When I first arrived, Colin was still the trainer and I worked under both him and Kim, Joe’s sister. Since Joe took over the licence, my role’s grown – I work closely with the barn managers, plan the riding out board, assign staff, and make sure the day runs smoothly. I ride out when I can, and during the season I’m away racing quite a lot – often three or four times a week.

What do you do on a race day?
I make sure the staff at the racecourse have everything they need, and I look after the owners – have a drink or lunch with them, keep them updated.
I also saddle the horse, and go through the race with the jockey. Most of the time Joe will have briefed me on tactics, and I’ll pass those on.
We mainly use Brendan Powell as our jockey – he knows the horses really well – but it’s important to talk through each one. Every horse is different.

Favourite horse?
Oh, JPR One. He came to us as a four-year-old: he’d never raced, he’d been in training in Ireland. I’ve always ridden him a lot, and we’ve got a real connection.
He’s a good racehorse too – winning the Haldon Gold Cup was definitely his career highlight so far.

Summer or winter?
Winter. It’s where all the action is: the jump season, obviously, but also football, rugby … I’m not a cricket or golf fan, summer just feels slow by comparison!

Your go-to bit of kit?
My flat cap. It’s essential in the winter – it keeps the drips off! I couldn’t do without it.

What do you do when you’re not at the yard?
I’ve got a few youngsters at home – young horses, I mean – so they keep me busy. Plus I do have two actual kids, too, so any time I’m not working I do try and spend it with them.
I’m also a big Plymouth Argyle fan – that’s probably my main passion outside racing.