Trainer Joe Tizzard has paid tribute to ‘wonderful horse’ Eldorado Allen after his death was announced aged 12.
The popular grey chaser, owned by John Romans and Terry Warner, ran at five Cheltenham Festivals and recorded his biggest wins in the 2021 Haldon Gold Cup and 2022 Denman Chase, in which he defeated Royale Pagaille and Clan Des Obeaux.
Career Highlights
Eldorado Allen, trained by Colin Tizzard until he handed the reins to son Joe, announced himself on his British debut when he won a maiden hurdle at Sandown in November 2018. He switched to fences in his second season, landing his first graded success in the November Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in 2020.
He arrived at the 2021 Festival as a 33-1 outsider for the Arkle Trophy yet stayed strongly to take second place behind Shishkin. Eldorado Allen was back in the winners’ enclosure the following November when he captured the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and, after his Denman success, finished third in the Ryanair Chase.
Later Career and Final Races
Under Joe Tizzard he began the 2022-23 season finishing second in the Charlie Hall Chase and Betfair Chase and fourth in the King George VI Chase. He ended the campaign lining up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but finished a well beaten seventh behind Galopin Des Champs.
The gelding tackled the Grand National in 2024, completing the course to finish 20th, then landed his first win in three years in a veterans' chase at Cheltenham in November 2025.
After that win Joe Tizzard said: “It was a real pleasure to watch, and he jumped like a stag. We've had him since he was a four-year-old and his longevity is amazing.
“He is the first horse you see when you come in the yard - he's in Cue Card's old box and his head is over the door all day. It's special and John (Romans) and Terry (Warner, owners) are big supporters of the yard over the years and still are. We'll enjoy this one.”
Tributes Paid
Eldorado Allen contested four more races and was last in action in April when he fell at the Canal Turn in the Topham Chase at the Grand National meeting. His death was announced on Wednesday.
Joe Tizzard said: “It was one of those things but not the result of Aintree. He’d been a wonderful horse. He took us to some amazing days out. What a wonderful chap he was.
“He had been in our yard a long time and we had an awful lot of fun with him. He was a very good horse on his day.”
