Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Saturday, February 26
Christian Williams has his select team in fine form and the well-handicapped CAP DU NORD (Kempton, 3.37) looks primed to give him a big chance of landing the Coral Trophy on Saturday.
The Welsh handler has carved out a reputation as a clever placer of his horses and there is little doubt all three of his contenders for Saturday afternoon’s feature handicap will have had this race as their target for some time.
That theory certainly looks to carry some substance regarding the selection, who was fifth in last year’s renewal behind subsequent Betfair Bowl runner-up Clondaw Castle off a mark of 142.
Sportsmail’s racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Saturday’s meetings
Cap Du Nord was also a highly creditable fifth in the bet365 Gold Cup Chase off 140, again proving he is more than capable of running huge races in the season’s most competitive staying chases when the right circumstances present themselves.
Unfortunately, he has been far from fleet-footed on occasion and it was those jumping frailties which denied him the chance to be involved in the mix in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last time.
However, a season without success to date has seen his mark slip to a tempting 127 from a career high of 142 and it is worth bearing in mind that he chased home the talented Royale Pagaille off 133 in a course and distance handicap in December 2020.
Cap Du Nord chased home the talented Royale Pagaille (pictured) off 133 on December 2020
The cheekpieces which have been absent since Cap Du Nord was fourth in the Badger Beer Chase last November are reapplied on Saturday and Williams could barely have his string in better form with Duneomeno and Powerful Position winning in recent days, while Groom D’Oudairies was touched off at 50-1 at Ludlow.
There is another of the season’s major staying chases contested in the North East and COURT MASTER (Newcastle, 3.15) looks worth chancing in a typically competitive renewal of the Vertem Eider Chase.
l MISHRIFF, trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by David Egan, will try to win the first prize of almost £7.5million in the Saudi Cup in Riyadh for the second year running on Saturday afternoon.
The line-up also includes Real World, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor and ridden by Frankie Dettori and winner of his last five races.
CHEPSTOW
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
12.35 Marco Island
1.08 Hacker Des Places
1.43 Enormouse
2.18 Bells Of Peterboro
2.53 Eclair D’Ainay
3.28 Loch Garman Aris
4.00 High Counsel
4.35 With Poise
GIMCRACK
12.35 Marco Island
1.08 Hacker Des Places
1.43 Found On
2.18 Ask For Glory
2.53 Eclair D’Ainay
3.28 Ivilnoble
4.00 Bretney
4.35 With Poise
KEMPTON
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.15 Flegmatik
1.50 Pleasant Man
2.25 Millers Bank
3.00 Iceo
3.37 Cap Du Nord (nap)
4.10 Herbiers (nb)
4.45 Spago
GIMCRACK
1.15 Patroclus
1.50 Pleasant Man
2.25 Minella Drama
3.00 Shallwehaveonemore
3.37 Our Power (nb)
4.10 Flashing Glance
4.45 Onewayortother
WOLVERHAMPTON
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
4.40 Gold Belt
5.15 Kiss Kiss
5.45 Smart Boyo
6.15 Sir Henry Cotton
6.45 Night Narcissus
7.15 Deputise
7.45 Dundory
8.15 Send In The Clouds
GIMCRACK
4.40 Belt Buckle
5.15 Boulivar
5.45 Cinzento
6.15 Dalby Forest
6.45 Aramis Grey
7.15 Kodi Gold
7.45 He’s Our Star
8.15 Mr Dib Dab
LINGFIELD
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.00 Vorashann
1.30 Lord Riddiford
2.05 Lord North
2.40 Shoot To Kill
3.10 Soldier’s Minute
3.45 Chief White Face
4.20 Ludus
4.55 Sea Of Charm
GIMCRACK
1.00 Vorashann
1.30 Strong Power
2.05 Fancy Man (nap)
2.40 Passionova
3.10 Asadjumeirah
3.45 Crush And Run
4.20 King Of Time
4.55 Sea Of Charm
Newmarket – 1.30 Tone The Barone (nb); 2.05 Lord North (nap).
NEWCASTLE
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.35 Barrichello
2.10 Cenotice
2.45 Fonzerelli
3.15 Court Master
3.50 Soft Risk
4.25 Do Your Job
5.00 Hungry Tiger
GIMCRACK
1.35 Barrichello
2.10 Black Pirate
2.45 So They Say
3.15 Court Master
3.50 Soft Risk
4.25 Do Your Job
5.00 Tommaso
Northerner – 3.50 Soft Risk (nb); 5.00 Tommaso (nap).
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