The 2019/20 season is certainly proving to be a campaign full of riches for Irish point-to-point graduates, as the sports exports won a tenth Grade 1 within the space of two months when Fiddlerontheroof claimed the Unitbet Tolworth Hurdle.
Sent off as the well-supported favourite, Robbie Power elected to track the pace in the early stages, before the six-year-old soon began to catch the eye exiting out of the back straight in the two-mile contest.
Once hitting the front, the son of Stowaway, who contested two four-year-old maidens for Shirley Berry at Rathcannon and Stowlin, was quicker over the final two flights which allowed him to pull clear over Gavin Cromwell’s Irish raider Jeremys Flame.
By the line, six lengths separated the pair with Fiddlerontheroof winning his second race over hurdles since joining the Colin Tizzard yard.
"He is a big, scopey horse who is improving as the season has gone one. He will certainly jump a fence in the future," said the winning trainer’s son and assistant Joe Tizzard when speaking to RacingTV following the success.
"It wasn't that soft when he ran a really good race at Chepstow first time out - and with a bit of hindsight, he possibly could have really shaken Thyme Hill up. That is the best novice hurdle form in Britain at the moment.
"I think he is physically capable of handling this soft ground, which makes a difference around Sandown, but he has already proved he can go on good ground as well."
Fiddlerintheroof was cut into 10/1 for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, although connections have yet to decide which potential engagement at the Festival he will take up.
Tizzard said: "We're not sure ourselves about the trip. He will probably have an entry in the Supreme and the Ballymore, and we will have a sit down with Robbie nearer the time and see what is happening ground-wise and make a decision of the back of that.
"You need to stay to win a Supreme - and he hasn't looked outpaced in any of his races, because he travels well, so we'll see.
"It is certainly the best team of novice hurdlers we've had. In an ideal world, you wouldn't like those three (Fiddlerontheroof, The Big Breakaway and Master Debonair) to clash, but it might have to happen. That is something we'll worry about in February.
"If we can get all three to Cheltenham in one piece and in the form we are in it will be a good problem to have."
"If we can get all three to Cheltenham in one piece and in the form we are in it will be a good problem to have."
Fine performance!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 4, 2020
The exciting Fiddlerontheroof romps home in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at @Sandownpark %uD83D%uDC4F @Robbie_Power_
Results %u27A1 https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/11RVGyumHZ
