Templegate’s horse racing tips: Ascot, Wincanton and Haydock live on ITV – Top betting preview for Saturday’s TV racing
Ascot, Wincanton, Gowran Park and Haydock all come under the spotlight as Templegate gives you his best bets for the day
ASCOT
1.35
AIM for the Top in the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase. I can’t imagine this having much bearing on the big novice races at the Cheltenham Festival but it looks a nice opportunity for TOP VILLE BEN.
Considering he fell in two of his last three hurdles races, he’s taken surprisingly well to fences. He jumped his rivals into the ground when a wide-margin winner at Wetherby over Christmas and I expect this track to suit him.
He does face competition for the lead but his slick fencing should make him hard to lay up with.
Now McGinty won well from the front at Chepstow last time but I don’t think it’s a coincidence his best form has come on left-handed tracks.
Yalltari is the other front-runner but he needs to bounce back from a first-fence fall at Exeter.
Mister Malarky came clear in the closing stages when successful at Newbury last month. That was only a handicap against exposed horses to he probably needs to step forward again.
2.10
GO back to Black in the Keltbray Swinley Chase. BLACK CORTON was one of the star novices of last season.
He was hugely impressive when thrashing Ms Parfois in the Reynoldstown on this card 12 months ago but that was the last of his seven wins as he came up well short at both Cheltenham and Aintree.
He’s faced some stiff tasks this season and the drop to 2m4f was never going to suit him last month. This is more his distance and more his level.
It’s four years since Coneygree won the Gold Cup. He’s clearly not up to that class anymore but his third at Cheltenham in November was a splendid effort.
Mark Bradstock’s ace went off too fast in the King George but he didn’t run at all badly and I’m expecting him to put up a good show today.
Regal Encore blows hot and cold but he does run his best races at this track. He won this race last year and is only a couple of pounds higher in the weights but it looks much tougher this time.
Reikers Island would probably won at Newbury over Christmas if he hadn’t hit the last. That was only his second chase start so he could have plenty of improvement in him.
2.45
THE Betfair Denman Chase is nowhere as interesting as it might have been last weekend but it gives King George hero CLAN DES OBEAUX the chance of a nice Cheltenham prep.
Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old came of age at Kempton on Boxing Day when seeing off Thistlecrack and Native River with a performance of real class.
He travelled so well against genuinely top-class chasers and was on top at the finish. It’s hard to see him getting beaten today if he’s in the same sort of form.
Terrefort looks the best bet to chase him home. He ended last season by beating Ms Parfois in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase having finished runner-up in the JLT at Cheltenham.
This term hasn’t gone as well. He clearly wasn’t right when last of four behind Welsh National winner Elegant Escape and Thomas Patrick at Sandown.
Trainer Nicky Henderson gave him more than two months off before returning him to Cheltenham. That third behind Frodon and Elegant Escape still leaves him a good bit to find with Clan Des Obeaux but at least it was a step in the right direction.
I’ve been really disappointed with Thomas Patrick this season. I didn’t think it was impossible he could develop into a Gold Cup horse but his form since his promising Sandown comeback run has been rancid.
Ballyhill is a useful handicapper but nothing he’s done suggests he’s up to this level.
3.20
RAID the bookies and make a quick Getaway in the Betfair Hurdle. Novices have won this race – rescheduled after last weekend’s Newbury card was lost to the outbreak of flu – in five of the last six years.
GETAWAY TRUMP looks a good bet to extend that sequence. He won well at Plumpton and Exeter before stepping up to Grade 1 level in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.
He moved like a class horse before top prospect Champ just saw out the 2m4f trip better. Today’s 2m distance combined with a likely fast pace should be ideal.
Lisp ran a belter when runner-up behind Mohaayed in a similarly-hot handicap over today’s track and trip just before Christmas. His earlier Newbury second behind Champion Hurdle hope Global Citizen has worked out well and Alan King’s ace is best suited to the likely strong pace.
Al Dancer is another decent novice with claims. He is unbeaten over hurdles and took apart a fair field at Cheltenham in December. There’s little doubt he deserved a 12lbs rise for that success and it’s hard to tell where the limit of his talent is.
Didtheyleaveuoutto would be interesting if the ground dried out enough.
3.55
LOG on to profit from the Betfair Ascot Chase. I’ve no doubt POLITOLOGUE is top class over this sort of trip. His record away from Cheltenham is superb and it was the step up to 3m that did for him when fourth in the King George on Boxing Day.
Before his Kempton fourth only Altior and Waiting Patiently had beaten him in races not at the Festival. He was well on top at the finish when beating Charbel over this track and trip on his return to action in November and he arrives here a fresh horse having been given a break by Paul Nicholls.
Waiting Patiently got the better of my fancy at Haydock a couple of years ago but there’s no point in reading too much into that race.
Ruth Jefferson’s hope lost his unbeaten chase record when unseating Brian Hughes after getting badly hampered in the King George.
He’s possibly better over this shorter trip and he’s got no problem with the track having beaten Cue Card in this race 12 months ago.
Cyrname – also trained by Nicholls – bolted up from the front in a course-and-distance handicap last month. That came a little bit out of the blue and I’m confident Politologue is much more solid of the former champion trainer’s two runners.
Fox Norton was no match for Altior on his first run of the season last time. This longer trip suits him better these days and his two Grade 1 wins shows he has the necessary class.
Eamonn Hames' 2.30 Gowran Park verdict
WITH Gold Cup favourite Presenting Percy a surprise absentee, it's best to make some Money with the talented Monalee.
The Henry De Bromhead trained eight-year-old is as consistent as they come and this looks a great opportunity for him to get a much deserved win under his belt.
As the only out-and-out frontrunner in the field, Rachael Blackmore should have no problems getting the fractions right and that should help offset the 7lb he has to give to his two market rivals.
Last year's Gold Cup third Anibale Fly is well treated by the race conditions, but whether he'll have the gears to get near to Monalee in the straight is doubtful.
Killultagh Vic is the only one that has shown that sort of pace in the past and the Willie Mullins trained ten-year-old looked to be nearing a return to his best when third in the Galmoy hurdle here last month.
He's probably best watched on this return to chasing, but he looks the danger to the selection.
HAYDOCK
1.55
IT might be a bit late in the season to be making your seasonal return but that doesn’t put me off YANWORTH in the William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle.
A chasing campaign was ditched last season for a crack at the Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle. He wasn’t disgraced in sixth and it means his only defeats in 11 hurdles races came in Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival contests.
He’s never been beaten first time out and he should have too much class for his rivals.
Shades Of Midnight’s close second behind Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle favourite Paisley Park over today’s track and trip in November reads really well. But he’s been beaten in much lesser races and his Kelso chase win over Christmas makes little difference.
Clyne finished runner-up behind Unowhatimeanharry on his only try at 3m in a Newbury Grade 2 in November. Evan Williams’ mud lover could have done with much softer ground.
3.35
KEEP your eyes on an Optic in the William Hill Grand National Trial.
BALLYOPTIC was a smart novice last season. He was beaten by the width of a fag paper when runner-up behind Joe Farrell in the Scottish National.
That proved what was pretty obvious beforehand – he stays incredibly well. My fancy – trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies – has plenty of ground to make up on judged on his sixth in the Welsh National over Christmas but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
He was one of the few to threaten to get into it from off the pace and it’s not hard to think he might improve for that run as he fell in the Becher Chase on his only other start this season.
Ramses De Teillee has to be considered on his Welsh National second behind Gold Cup hope Elegant Escape. The better ground does not help and he does have a particular liking for Chepstow.
Last year’s winner Yala Enki was third in the Welsh National. This is a big ask off top weight but at least young jockey Hugh Nugent does take off 7lbs.
Impulsive Star has started life in handicaps at the right end of the weights. Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen managed to get down to 9st 12lbs when the pair were successful in Warwick’s Classic Chase but this race looks a fair bit deeper.
Red Infantry is the other one I like returned to this marathon trip.
WINCANTON
1.45
MAGIC SAINT has a trick or two up his sleeve. This French import made a promising British debut when runner-up behind smart Activial at Haydock in November.
His Ascot fifth behind Hell’s Kitchen was disappointing but he was never in the race in a contest dominated by prominent racers. There’s likely to be a sound pace in this race and that should help set it up for him.
Bigmartre will like the drying ground. He beat Cyrname early last season and signed off in the spring by winning an Ayr Grade 2. Things have not gone to plan this term and he’s unlikely to get an easy time of it on the lead with front-running Gino Trail in the field.
Gino Trail is getting on a bit but he’s still more than capable of some smart form. There was nothing wrong with his return to action at Sandown two weeks ago but softer ground would have suited him better.
ITV RACING What races will be shown live on ITV this Saturday, February 16?
3.00
THE Betway Kingwell Hurdle might not be named after trainer Alan King – but it might as well be.
He’s going for a third straight win – fifth overall – in this Champion Hurdle trial and I reckon he’ll keep the trophy with SCEAU ROYAL.
He’s a smart chaser having won five of his seven starts over fences but this looks like a nice opportunity for him returned to hurdling.
He was third behind stablemate Yanworth in this race two years ago before finishing sixth in the Champion Hurdle and he’s always had plenty of pace.
Useful novice Grand Sancy has to give him a couple of pounds and I’m not convinced he’s up to the job. He was only beaten half a length in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last month and today’s better ground should help. I just don’t think that is particularly strong form and he has more on his plate against more experienced rivals today.
Vision Des Flos was completely flattered to get so close to Buveur D’Air at Sandown two weeks ago. He’s faced some pretty stiff tasks recently and he looks the biggest danger to Sceau Royal.
Jolly’s Cracked It won a bumper at this track five years ago but all his hurdles win have come at Ascot. It’s surprising he’s not in the Betfair Hurdle.
Templegate’s TV tips
- 1.35 Ascot - Top Ville Ben
- 1.45 Wincanton - Magic Saint
- 1.55 Haydock - Yanworth
- 2.10 Ascot - Black Corton
- 2.45 Ascot- Clan Des Obeaux
- 3.00 Wincanton - Sceau Royal
- 3.05 Gowran Park - Monalee
- 3.20 Ascot - Getaway Trump
- 3.35 Haydock - Ballyoptic
- 3.55 Ascot - Politologue
ASCOT
12.30 Deise Aba
1.00 Ballyandy
1.35 Top Ville Ben
2.10 Black Corton
2.45 Clan Des Obeaux
3.20 Getaway Trump
3.55 Politologue (nap)
4.30 Daydream Aulmes
5.00 Silver Forever
HAYDOCK
12.50 Torpillo
1.25 Sensulano
1.55 Yanworth (treble)
2.25 Luckofthedraw
2.55 Down The Highway
3.35 Ballyoptic
4.10 Kateson (nb)
4.45 Road To Rome
KEMPTON
4.40 Dahawi
5.15 Charlie Arthur
5.45 Sir Prize
6.15 Choice Encounter
6.45 Happy Escape
7.15 Redicean
7.45 Caspar The Cub
8.15 Show The Money
LINGFIELD
1.30 First Link
2.05 Reggae Runner
2.40 Alsvinder
3.15 It’s All A Joke
3.50 Isomer
4.25 Miss Green Dream
WINCANTON
1.10 Katpoli
1.45 Magic Saint
2.20 Atlanta Ablaze
3.00 Sceau Royal
3.30 Sandhurst Lad
4.05 Kerrow
4.35 Peak To Peak
5.10 Southfield Torr