Chief to win at Kempton and Dom can land Eider

CHRIS WRIGHT AIMS TO BE FIRST PAST THE FINISHING POST WITH TODAY’S TOP TIPS

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THE Doyen Chief can secure victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap (GBB Race) (3.35pm) at Kempton Park this afternoon. While at Newcastle Dom Of Mary can win the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Eider Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.43pm).

Alan King’s nine-year-old The Doyen Chief can land a third victory at Kempton Park in the three-mile Premier Handicap.

The Doyen Chief has scored on both his previous visits to the Surrey track. Scoring over course and distance in March last year despite one slight error, he stayed on strongly to beat The Wolf by two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length. He followed up at Warwick two weeks later and has generally been consistent, winning six times in nine starts over fences.

His one blemish was when pulled up in the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury behind Randox Grand National entrant Panic Attack in November.

He put that disappointing effort, though, firmly behind him when returned to Kempton last month.

In a five-runner contest over this course and distance, he again made one error but a fine leap at the last helped him triumph by a neck from Your Darling. He was only raised 1lb for that second course and distance success and he still looks on a winnable mark on a track and trip he clearly thrives on.

Last year’s winner Katate Dori, from the Sam Thomas stable can also run well despite now being 10lb higher in the handicap for that success.

While Dan Skelton’s Hoe Joly Smoke and the Emmet Mullins-trained Irish raider Rising Dust are two others who could be involved in the finish. But King’s The Doyen Chief can hold them at bay and land a third course and distance victory.

At Newcastle, James Owen’s Dom Of Mary can take the marathon Eider over 4m1½f.