Cap Du Nord puts seal on good day for Williams

CAP DU NORD led home a one-two for Christian Williams in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton Park, capping an incredible half-hour for the trainer.

The Glamorgan handler had just finished celebrating the victory of Win My Wings, ridden by Ryan Mania, in the Eider Chase at Newcastle moments before the field set out for the Kempton Grade Three.

Partnered by 3lb claimer Jack Tudor, Cap Du Nord was settled in behind the leaders through the early stages but grabbed the front with two to jump and came home ahead of Kitty’s Light with Sam Thomas’ Our Power back in third.

Williams said: “We thought he would run well. Horses come into themselves. Kitty’s Light struggled in the winter and has just come into himself, Win My Wings, who won earlier on, it was hard to get her right in the heart of the winter.

“When you have good staff and good owners at home, they will know that there is a certain time in the season where they will come right and we usually finish the season well.

“I’m not sure if it is where we train from, maybe there is a little bit of a dip for a month or two in the winter, certain horses go a bit quiet, but they have come good in the end and we have seen the proof in the last two weeks that the horses are starting to come right.”

Class came to the fore in the Betway Winter Derby as Alenquer beat Lord North at Lingfield.

Runner-up in the Juddmonte

International in the summer, William Haggas’ charge was last seen running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Yesterday, Cieren Fallon was in the box seat throughout, winning by two-and-a-half lengths.

“It was pretty straightforward, he jumped well, I got a nice enough position,” Fallon said. “It shows what a good horse he is to win on this type of track, he’s obviously the best horse in the race and isn’t having much of a blow. He didn’t really handle the track and his natural ability pulled him through.”