A Super Saturday of racing and my best bet – but let’s spare a thought for the top jockey still missing from the game

3 months ago 20

“CARPE diem”.

For jockeys and horses never have Horace’s words — translated as ‘seize the moment’ — been more apt than at Cheltenham and Doncaster on Saturday.

Coleman is continuing his recovery from an awful injury[/caption]

As such, it’s at this time we have to think of rider Aidan Coleman.

But for an horrific knee injury, Coleman would have been on two of this afternoon’s star acts at Prestbury Park in Jonbon and Paisley Park.

Saturday’s best bet

CAP DU NORD (3.15 Doncaster)

Trainer Christian Williams knows how to land a big pot and this dual Grade 3 winner has slipped down the weights.

In his absence, James Bowen, replacing another sidelined rider in Nico de Boinville, and Tom Bellamy must grab their chance.

For Coleman, the already seven-month struggle to regain fitness, something that has cost him a considerable sum of money as well as countless hours of pain, goes on.

Away from Bowen and Bellamy, it’s an afternoon for youngsters to show they are men not boys of the jumps game.

Burdett Road against Sir Gino looks a right old clash of juvenile talent, while Jeriko Du Reponet is at Doncaster for Nicky Henderson boasting a huge reputation.

And that’s not even to mention Gidleigh Park, Lossiemouth and Stay Away Fay. All trying to seize the moment.

Where to start?

The Gold Cup trial at Cheltenham is perhaps the perfect place, namely the Grade 2 Paddy Power Cotswold, worth £125,000.

Essentially any of the six could score at their best, but some have massive points to prove.

They include Ahoy Senor, pulled up twice this season, and The Real Whacker, although his distant fourth in the King George had a bit more promise than it might have looked to many at first sight.

Stay Away Fay won the Albert Bartlett last term and has banged in two novice chase contests since switching to fences.

It’s a bold move from champion Paul Nicholls to run him here, but it might just be a clever one.

That all said surely Royale Pagaille is the one, even if his jumping at this track has never been quite as good as elsewhere.

His Betfair Chase success means his current rating is as high as he’s ever been, and he’s already run in three Gold Cups and been far from disgraced.

He’ll take all the beating with a decent gallop to suit.

The Grade 2 Cleeve is like a veterans race and the sport’s equivalent of going down the ‘home’ to meet elderly relatives.

Hero Paisley Park (aged 12) is joined in a field of six rivals by Champ (12) and Dashel Drasher (11) so they have 35 years between them.

The former Grand National hero Noble Yeats is also set to go, although at just nine years old he’s a relative whipper snapper and not out of it.

Paisley Park was denied by young pretender Crambo in a right old classic for the Long Walk at Ascot last time.

Prior to that Emma Lavelle’s warrior was touched off by Dashel Drasher at Newbury.

While some might think he should be sat back with his pipe and slippers, this might be a moment to bring the roof down one more time. I hope he does.

I put up Burdett Road for the Triumph at 33-1 before he had ever publicly jumped an obstacle, so I’m hoping he gets the better of the exciting Sir Gino in the Triumph Trial.

The Royal Ascot winner has looked a great recruit in two victories.

He’s not quite yet Alderbrook, but he’s on the way and his jumping is improving.

A quick word for the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase at Doncaster. I have a feeling Cap Du Nord is a cracking each-way bet.

Christian Williams’s star is thrown in on his best form and the conditions look ideal.

The stable is in need of a win after a quiet spell and there is no better trainer to wait and take a big pot.

Cap Du Nord has done little of late but that doesn’t worry me at all as he’s down to a mark of 122 having been second in this off 125 last year. Jack Tudor rides.

I’ll have a few quid each-way and hope he understands as I whisper to him in the paddock — carpe diem Cap, carpe diem!