Christian Williams: Trying to do a rare Sky Bet Chase double
Christian Williams: Trying to do a rare Sky Bet Chase double

WATCH: We chat to Christian Williams ahead of Cap Du Nord's run in the 2021 Sky Bet Chase


It's 12 years since Christian Williams won the Sky Bet Chase as a jockey on Big Fella Thanks and now he bids to win the same race as a trainer with Cap Du Nord.

The eight-year-old gelding has been in terrific form this season, beating Saturday's potential rival Canelo by over four lengths in a high-class performance at Newbury on November 28 before he chased home Royal Pagaille at Kempton over Christmas.

With Royal Pagaille franking the form in great style in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock over the weekend, Cap Du Nord is officially 3lb well-in for Saturday's contest and is all the rage as the well-backed 5/2 favourite.

"The horse looks to have a good profile," Williams says in the video.

“Not just the winner [Royale Pagaille] who beat us at Kempton but the third horse [Double Shuffle] has come out and won and The Kings Writ who finished seventh ran well in the Somerset National, too.

"We do think he stays very well. We haven’t wanted to expose him at a trip until we really have to, so hopefully his first time at a trip will be in the Grand National.

"We haven’t used that trip yet and have been keeping it up our sleeve."

Williams also remembers his big day on Big Fella Thanks at Doncaster in the video, as well as discussing his other star staying chaser and Grand National hopeful, Potters Corner.

Watch the video on YouTube here...

Christian Williams on CAP DU NORD ahead of the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster