Templegate’s horse racing tips: Kempton and Wetherby live on ITV – top betting preview for Boxing Day’s TV racing
Kempton and Wetherby come under the spotlight as Templegate gives you his best bets for the day
KEMPTON
1.20
FEEL the Forsa in the 32Red.com Chase. GLEN FORSA hasn’t seen the track too many times since making a winning bumper debut a couple of years ago.
His problems seem to be behind him as he’s already run three times this season and he won nicely on his first try at chasing last month.
He jumped really nicely that day at Chepstow and had enough in the tank to see it out over 3m despite taking a good pull early on.
The drop in distance could suit him even better and I’m not worried about the faster ground.
Nicky Henderson’s Lough Derg Spirit has had a breathing operation since winning at Wetherby in October. If that’s helped him improve he would have to have a chance.
We’ve not seen the best of stablemate Turtle Wars. He was almost brought down on his chase debut behind Warthog at Sandown and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him run well.
Dell Oro made a pleasing chase debut and he will like the ground. Ex-French Envoye Special was no match for Arkle favourite Kalashnikov at Plumpton but he’s likely to do better switched to this handicap.
1.55
SANTA might not have delivered all you wished for but I reckon SANTINI will. His form in novices’ hurdles last season was up there with the best of them.
His only defeat in four starts came when third in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival and he went on to land the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.
It was some statement of intent from trainer Nicky Henderson to stick him into the Grade 2 John Francome Chase on his first start over fences.
That confidence was rewarded when he put in an exceptional performance to beat Rocky’s Treasure and Le Breuil.
The form looks solid and the only possible worry is the drying ground. He’s only raced on soft but his half-sister needed decent going so the prospect of quicker conditions doesn’t bother me.
Bags Groove will certainly like the ground. He’s taken well to fences and bolted up from the front with some slick jumping at Huntingdon last time.
Conditions suit, he likes the track and he’s shown a good level of form so he has to be a threat.
The Worlds End – a Grade 1 winner over hurdles – put in a classy display when winning by a country mile at Cheltenham.
He turns out just 12 days later but he didn’t have a hard race. If he’s totally over those exertions he has to enter calculations.
Topofthegame has always looked likely to develop into a top chaser. He lost his race at the start when runner-up behind Defi Du Seuil at Exeter last time and the return to 3m is just what he wants.
If he breaks on terms with the others he should go well in what is a red-hot contest.
Smart mare La Bague Au Roi is another worthy of her place in this field but both Red Indian and No Hassle Hoff – first and second at Ayr last month – both need to step up.
2.30
IT’S impossible to oppose BUVEUR D’AIR in the Unibet Christmas Hurdle.
The dual Champion Hurdler has only been beaten once since switching from bumpers and that was when third behind star stablemate Altior in the hottest of Supreme Novices’ Hurdles.
He’s been the dominant force in 2m hurdles since then and he’s never been as impressive than when winning the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on his comeback run.
They way he kicked aside highly-rated Irish raider Samcro with astonishing ease was sensational.
This should be a 12th straight win for Nicky Henderson’s ace and I can’t see him having any trouble at all.
You certainly won’t get rich backing Buveur D’Air so a forecast bet is the way to go. Global Citizen bolted up over this course and distance when making all the running in the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle last season.
His Newbury win earlier in the month off top weight was a cracking effort and he could get his own way in front. There’s little chance of him holding off Buveur D’Air but he looks a good bet for second spot.
If The Caps Fits won the novices’ hurdle on this card 12 months ago before injury cut short his campaign. He won nicely at Ascot last month but that was over 2m3f.
The likely strong pace should help but this will be sharp enough for him.
Verdana Blue has plenty of class and she will love the drying ground. If it’s genuinely good should would be the main danger to Global Citizen’s forecast claims.
3.05
MAKE the bookies pay the Pol tax in the 32Red King George. This Christmas cracker has been won by some of racing greatest greys like Desert Orchid and One Man.
I reckon POLITOLOGUE will add his name to that snowy roll of honour. He races in the same yellow-and-red One Man colours of owner John Hales and he has the same star quality.
His jumping is superb and he showed he deserves his place in the top races when winning the Tingle Creek and Melling Chase last season.
Those races came over shorter distance and this will be his first try at 3m but I’m confident it won’t be a problem.
He’s always shaped like he would stay the trip when he had matured and his smooth Ascot defeat of talented Charbel last month did nothing to change my opinion.
Might Bite will attempt to defend the Boxing Day crown he won in good style last season. He might have only had a length to spare over Double Shuffle at the line but he had the race sewn up when cruising clear early in the home straight.
Tea For Two, Thistlecrack and Bristol De Mai were all further behind and he moved like the winner for much of the Gold Cup before the testing ground finally tipped the balance in Native River’s favour on the run-in.
He does have to bounce back from a disappointing return when last of five behind Bristol De Mai, Native River, Thistlecrack and Clan Des Obeaux in the Betfair Chase when his jumping wasn’t great.
It’s way too early to be writing him off but there’s a chance his hard time last season may have left its mark.
Bristol De Mai proved at Haydock he doesn’t have to have deep ground. He had excuses when well beaten in last year’s King George and the betting underestimates him a bit.
Colin Tizzard’s Native River is unlikely to have the necessary speed and stablemate Thistlecrack – winner of this race two years ago – needs to prove he’s as good as he was after injury problems.
Waiting Patiently is unbeaten in six chase starts and his lack of a run is not much of a worry. The step up to 3m is more of a concern.
Templegate's TV tips
- 1.20 Kempton - Glen Forsa
- 1.55 Kempton - Santini
- 2.10 Wetherby - Crievehill
- 2.30 Kempton - Buveur D'Air
- 3.05 Kempton - Politologue
WETHERBY
2.10
CRIEVEHILL should continue to climb the rankings in the Racingtv.com Rowland Meyrick.
He jumped the Grand National fences really well when sixth behind Warriors Tale in the Grand Sefton at Aintree a couple of weeks ago.
That was his first run since finishing second behind useful Javert on decent ground at Uttoxeter.
He looks ready for the step up to 3m and it could easily be the making of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ hope.
Lake View Lad is a cracking staying chaser. His comeback defeat of Captain Chaos in the Rehearsal at Newcastle was a fine performance but today’s ground won’t be anywhere near as testing. If there’s no more rain he might just get found out.
Captain Chaos wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much, either, and Allysson Monterg is another who is best on testing ground.
Takingrisks could be the biggest danger. His Haydock second behind Vintage Clouds is good form and I like his young 7lbs claiming jockey Danny McMenamin a lot.
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