Cap caps a superb day for Williams

SATURDAY was a red-letter day in the training career of Christian Williams, as he won two big races in the space of half an hour.

Firstly, Win My Wings won the four-mile Eider Chase at Newcastle, rewarding supporters who backed her from 20-1 into 112.

The mare was piloted to victory by Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania, who was having his first ride for the stable. She is owned by Monmouth’s Sue Howell.

There was a huge cheer in the paddock at Kempton, where Williams and groups of his owners were watching prior to saddling three runners for the £150,000 Coral Trophy. And two of them led a Welsh 1-2-3 home, with Cap Du Nord beating Kitty’s Light, with Sam Thomas’s Our Power third.

Cap Du Nord was fifth in the race last year and had come back to form recently. Williams had talked his owners out of running at Carlisle earlier in the week.

Kitty’s Light was running on well at the end and might even have won but for a bad mistake at the penultimate fence. He has abundant stamina and Kempton wouldn’t have been his ideal course.

The Welsh had been making little impression at Chepstow’s meeting on Saturday until the last three races. Then Rebecca Curtis’s Mr Katanga trotted up by 47 lengths under Ben Jones. The trainer, who also owns the horse, revealed later that he had been so disappointing this was his last chance before being sold as a point-topointer.

Conditions were so testing that only four out of the 11 runners completed the course. In the next race Gats And Co led the field home for David and Connor Brace.

A David Probert winner at any meeting must be highly likely given the form he’s been in this year. On Saturday evening it came on the 11-4 shot Owen Little for rookie trainer Matt Crawley.

Evan Williams has said that his horses weren’t running well, but new recruit Bebraveforglory bucked the trend at Hereford on Sunday. Adam Wedge set out to make the running and he duly led all the way.

Our next fixture at Ffos Las is on Wednesday, March 23. We are offering a special admission package for £25 including a ticket, racecard, a pie and a pint (advance bookings only).

We also race on Easter Sunday, with children aged 17 and under free of charge and adult tickets £17 in advance. There will be family entertainment.