Saturday's listed Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase at Wincanton could well see the reappearance of Colin Tizzard's progressive young chaser Hey Big Spender, a horse who it could pay to follow during this National Hunt season, writes Elliot Slater.
With Tizzard's team seemingly in good heart at present it would come as no surprise were his imposing seven-year-old to run a big race on Saturday, but there will doubtless be plenty of other fish to fry along the route that will surely take the Rudimentary gelding back to the Cheltenham Festival for a crack at one of the big handicap chases.
Last year Hey Big Spender was a leading fancy for the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase having arrived at Cheltenham on the back of a good course win and a very respectable second, as well as an impressive winning effort at Newbury earlier in the term. All seemed to be going to plan as the horse moved into second place approaching the 13th fence, only for Joe Tizzard's mount to make an uncharacteristic blunder and deposit his rider on the turf. Worse was to follow at Aintree three weeks later when Hey Big Spender fell for the only time in his career, when in contention at a relatively early stage of a Grade 2 event.
With another summer on his back and doubtless plenty of schooling to regain his confidence, there are good reasons for believing that Tizzard's charge could be a horse to follow this term, and he's one of my racing tips to win this weekend.
Whatever he does this weekend, I am sure Hey Big Spender will only improve for the outing and, on anticipated soft ground, he could represent better betting tips for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury at the end of the month, for which he is currently a best-priced 25/1 shot.
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