ITV Racing Tips: Starchitect to shine in Caspian Caviar Gold Cup
Published:
Doncaster and Cheltenham are the venues this Saturday as jump racing gears up for a fabulous few weeks of action.
The International Meeting takes centre-stage in Gloucestershire, while there are a further two Group contests to enjoy from Doncaster.
Can Paul Nicholls clock up a fifth victory in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup? Or will Starchitect and David Pipe upset the party in the opening race of the day?
We answer those questions and more in our ITV Racing Tips…
After success in yesterday’s opener at Cheltenham, we’re going for the same again at Doncaster.
It’s Braqueur D’Or who’s taken to hack-up in the four-runner December Novices’ Chase.
Nicholls’ charge finished fourth in the prestigious Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last time out and back in novice company he can return to winning ways over fences here.
The trainer has won three of the past four renewals and in Bryony Frost has a jockey in-form after the 22-year-old landed the Group 1 Badge Ales Trophy last month.
Forget Le Prezien and Clan Des Obeaux, it’s Starchitect who gets the nod in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.
David Pipe’s mount was only beaten by a neck in the Gold Cup last month and can reverse placings with fellow competitor Splash of Ginge, who doesn’t have the consistency to be considered this time around.
The six-year-old is up 6lb for this one but showed enough to suggest he’ll be able to cope with that here.
He stayed on well to finish second last month, which means the extra 1f could play into his hands (or hooves).
There are game chances throughout the field, but it’s Starchitect who gets our vote to break his Cheltenham duck.
At a big-price, we think that City Dreamer is well worth a punt.
He finished second in a Class 1 contest last time out and beat fellow runner Eragon De Chanay at Market Rasen in September.
Main fancies Act of Valour and We Have A Dream have both won for new yards but hardly set the bar when it comes to dead-cert winners.
City Dreamer is far from guaranteed, but he’s placed in half of his starts this season and has the ability to take a place at enticing odds.
ITV Racing Tips
13:55 Cheltenham – Starchitect (NB)
14:10 Doncaster – Braqueur D’Or (NAP)
14:30 Cheltenham – Equus Secretus
14:45 Doncaster – City Dreamer (Lively Longshot)
15:05 Cheltenham – Melon
15:20 Doncaster – What Happens Now
15:40 Cheltenham – Brillare Momento
Find out all tomorrow’s racecards here
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
