Joe Tizzard

Age 27

Marital Status In a relationship

Licensed Since 1996

Retainer Freelance

Lives Millborne Port, near Wincanton

Drives Audi A3

Agent Sam Stronge

What's your perfect night in, and your perfect night out? My perfect night in would be a nice evening meal, some telly and then a good sleep. My perfect night out would just be a trip to the pub with a good group of friends and then on to a club somewhere afterwards.

You've picked up a two-day suspension. What are you going to do with yourself? On the first day I'd have to ride out for my dad Colin. In the afternoon I'd try to catch up on some paperwork and sleep. I'm a bit behind on both, in equal measures. Then on the second day I'd try to go hunting, or if there wasn't any on I'd go shooting.

What's your favourite holiday destination? Skiing is my perfect holiday. I normally try to get away last minute for a few days at the beginning of February. I also go to Portugal every year with Tom Scudamore and a few friends in the week when there's no racing in September. It's always a nice relaxed few days.

Who'd be your ideal companions for the long drive to Musselburgh? I have never been to Musselburgh and I don't intend to go. But my ideal companions would be comedian Lee Evans, for the entertainment value, and Jeremy Clarkson. I enjoy listening to his opinions on things – I even find myself agreeing with some of what he says. Also Kelly Brook – she wouldn't have to say much, she'd just be there for the view.

What CDs would you keep in the glove compartment for when the conversation dries up? The two best CDs I'm listening to in my car at the moment are the Kaiser Chiefs and the Editors. Otherwise I just tend to listen to Radio 1.

Who are your biggest heroes, in and out of racing? I share the same birthday as John Francome, and when I was growing up I always used to watch him ride. Outside racing, I am a massive fan of Valentino Rossi, the motorbike rider. I've always had bikes and wanted a fast one, but my family and friends have said that if I had one I'd kill myself, and so have never let me buy one.

What things excite you, and what do you find a turn-off? Speed generally excites me, hence the bikes, skiing and racing. I find ignorant and rude people a turn-off. I don't see why people feel the need to be like that.

What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you in the course of your work? A few years ago, about ten of us went skiing together and Sam Stronge came with us on his first skiing holiday. Apparently he'd had a lesson on the dry ski slope, and we went up in the lift with him telling us that it would all be fine, and that he'd be a natural due to his general sporting abilities. When we reached the top, he'd just clipped his second ski on when he set sail down the mountain, straight into a large group of foreigners. We all stood at the top laughing as he waved for us to come and get him out. In the end it took about ten minutes to get through them all. He gave up a day and a half later and no, he hasn't been back.

If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be? It annoys me the way horses are handicapped. You get good horses who don't win, and the handicapping system prevents them from ever winning. I think every horse deserves to win once.

If you hadn't been a jockey, what would you have liked to have been? I would probably have been a farmer, as that's what I've been brought up with. If I wasn't riding, I'd have liked to have been racing motorbikes. I'd have been brilliant at it.

What's the daftest question that you have ever been asked by a journalist? I can't think of the daftest question, but I was interviewed before the National when I was riding ante-post favourite Double Thriller. The next day, the front page of the Racing Post read ‘Joe Tizzard: How I will win the Grand National'. They had completely misread what I said and, needless to say, we fell at the first.

What are the best and worst rides you have ever given a horse? There've been a lot of bad ones but I'm not sure which would be the worst. Over the last couple of days I have been asking myself how I managed to get beaten on Mount Oscar when he was 100-1 at Folkestone. He then hacked up in a tougher race at Kempton last week. The best ride would probably be on Flagship Uberalles in the Tingle Creek. Things hadn't been going that well at the time and I wasn't that confident about the race. He travelled great throughout and everything went perfectly. We won by a short head.

What's the biggest regret of your career? Not being half a foot shorter and therefore having no problem with my weight.