Templegate’s horse racing tips: Newmarket, Ascot and Redcar – Top betting preview for TODAY’S ITV racing
ASCOT
1.50
LAY down the law with JUDICIAL. He had rapid sprinters Take Cover and El Astronaute behind when winning at Beverley in June and he followed up by seeing off Muthmir in a Sandown Group 3.
My fancy has more than five lengths to find with Mr Lupton on last month’ Newbury form but the ground was desperate that day. Quicker ground suits Judicial much better.
Muthmir is a couple of pounds better off compared with his neck second behind Judicial. He’s since run three sound races but he does need everything to drop right for him.
Mr Lupton is hard to predict. His defeat of Take Cover on testing ground at Newbury last time was a nice performance and today’s conditions are no problem.
He just doesn’t seem to run two races the same so it’s hard to have too much faith in Richard Fahey’s hope.
Spring Loaded likes this track. He stormed through from the rear to win over today’s course and distance in July when he got a decent pace to aim at.
The gaps didn’t appear when he needed them in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon last time. If they go off quick he would have to be involved.
GET ON TREND Who will win the Arc this Sunday?
2.25
FIRST ELEVEN is a good selection. I thought he was desperately unlucky not win the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot.
He was only beaten a neck in third after finding all sorts of trouble up the straight. His only previous try at this Group 3 class came when well beaten at Newmarket.
I’m not holding that against him as he raced off the pace in a race dominated from the front by Wells Farhh Go.
His course-and-distance defeat of Melrose hero Ghostwatch was much more like it and I’m sure this half-brother of top-class Kingman is well up to this level.
The other three-year-old in the field, Communique, is the danger. He could easily get a soft lead and he made it two wins from two starts since stepping up to 1m4f.
Laraaib looked a cracking prospect when winning his first three races last season.
Things have not gone to plan since his comeback second behind Poet’s Word but trainer Owen Burrows is in much better form now.
Blakeney Point – winner of a Listed race at Chester last month – could do with a bit of rain.
Templegate's picks for the ITV races
1.50 Ascot - Judicial
2.25 Ascot - First Eleven
3.00 Ascot - Limato
3.35 Ascot - Vale Of Kent
2.05 Newmarket - Perfection
3.15 Newmarket - Laurens
2.45 Redcar - Swissterious
3.00
GO out on a Lim. It’s clever placing from trainer Henry Candy to come to this Group 3 with LIMATO.
He’s on a hat-trick after victories at Newmarket and York and, as they were Listed races, he doesn’t get a penalty. There’s no doubting his class either.
He might not be quite as good as he was a couple of years ago when he won the July Cup but he bolted up in Newmarket Group 2 last October. Fast ground is important to him so the dry autumn has been ideal.
Gifted Master was well behind Limato at Newmarket last time having earlier battled back to win the Stewards’ Cup on the nod at Glorious Goodwood. His record in Group races in not great.
Projection was third behind Limato in that Newmarket contest. Some of his placed form gives him a chance but he hasn’t won for more than three years.
I was tempted to chance Hey Jonesy. His fifth in the Commonwealth Cup is Group 1 form but that race has not worked out at all well. The three-year-old sprinters just don’t look all that good.
Raven’s Lady has been in top form this summer. She narrowly beat subsequent scorer Pretty Baby at York before landing a German Group 2. That makes her dangerous but giving weight away all round will not be easy.
3.35
THIS is the biggest field on the card but there doesn’t look to be much pace in the race. I fancy VALE OF KENT to take advantage of that.
He went close when runner-up in the decent handicap at Glorious Goodwood before going one better three days later.
His fourth behind Flaming Spear and Cape Byron back at the same course and his midfield finish behind Ripp Orf last time leaves him a bit to find but those races were dominated by the hold-up horses. I don’t think this one will.
Good Irish claimer Ben Coen takes 5lbs off top weight Flaming Spear’s back. He missed the Ayr Gold Cup due to the testing ground so conditions should be ideal today.
Cape Byron has been incredibly consistent in big-field handicaps recently. He keeps creeping up the weights but that shouldn’t stop him running well.
Ripp Orf is very similar. He’s got a great course record but I’m just not convinced this will set up for his hold-up style.
Latest in Horse Racing
NEWMARKET
2.05
THIS looks likely to fall to a bit of PERFECTION. She won a good 7f Newmarket maiden in the spring and finished fifth in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot.
That should have set her up for a good summer but she was slightly disappointing before a drop to 6f did the trick at Yarmouth last time.
She’s shot up the weights by 11lbs but, now she’s find her trip, she should continue to progress.
Fille De Reve is on a roll after wins at Haydock and Ascot. She flew home to just get up last time and those tactics are not as easy to pull off at this track.
Indian Tygress is a bit fizzy and is another who is likely to be covered up. She’s a nice prospect but this is a big step up in grade.
Lady Freyja has twice won at Newmarket but both those victories were on the July Course. Her record on the Rowley Mile is the complete opposite.
3.15
LAURENS should charge away with the Sun Chariot Stakes. Karl Burke’s filly has been one of the stars of the summer.
She kicked off with a second behind shock winner Billesdon Brook in the 1000 Guineas before winning a brace of French Group 1 races over 1m2f.
Last month’s win in Leopardstown’s Matron Stakes – where hot favourite Alpha Centauri suffered an injury – showed she still has the class for 1m.
There’s every chance she will sit on the front end and see it out up the final climb.
French raider Wind Chimes looks a smart three-year-old. She got within a head of Recoletos in a Group 1 Longchamp last month where smart British milers Expert Eye and Lightning Spear were in behind.
It seems as though she’s improving and she’s likely to get a decent pace to aim at.
Veracious is going the right way. After finishing third in a couple of Group 1s she had little trouble landing a Sandown Group 3 last month. There’s little doubt she belongs at this level.
Altyn Orda – runner-up to Alpha Centauri in the Falmouth Stakes – is best of those at bigger odds.
REDCAR
2.45
GET on a Swiss roll in Redcar’s Two-Year-Old Trophy.
SWISSTERIOUS broke his duck over 7f and he showed he has the pace for today’s shorter trip when runner-up behind smart prospect Khaadem at Doncaster.
He had Alfie Solomons well behind him that day and that is a fair guide to today’s race.
Red Balloons stormed through to beat Alfie Solomons in a valuable sales race at York’s Ebor Meeting. That contest hasn’t worked out particularly well and this race is unlikely to fall as kindly.
Tim Easterby fires three arrows at this prize. Vintage Brut is the shortest in the betting after finishing runner-up in a Listed race at Ayr.
His chance would increase if the forecast overnight rain is correct but he does need to prove he’s as good over today’s extra furlong.
Rathbone is unfortunate not to have won at least one race. He wasn’t beaten far in a Doncaster sales race last time despite racing on the unfavoured part of the track.
Lightning Attack, Strict Tempo and James Watt are others to keep an eye on.
ASCOT
1.50 Judicial
2.25 First Eleven (nb)
3.00 Limato (treble)
3.35 Vale Of Kent
4.10 Di Fede
4.45 Mountain Peak
FONTWELL
1.40 Backoftherock
2.15 Vivas
2.50 Majestic Touch
3.20 Peppay Le Pugh
3.55 Dorking Cock
4.30 Ruperra Tom
5.05 Earth Moor
NEWMARKET
2.05 Perfection
2.40 Il Paradiso
3.15 Laurens
3.50 Time For Bed
4.25 Qazyna
5.00 Asoof
5.35 Crystal Moonlight
REDCAR
2.15 Snow Storm
2.45 Swissterious
3.25 Frankadore
4.00 Tabarrak
4.35 Dawaaleeb (nap)
5.10 See The Sea
5.40 Dawn Dancer
6.10 Show Palace
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.15 Calling The Wind
5.45 Muneyra
6.15 Five Helmets
6.45 Tashaaboh
7.15 Late Change
7.45 Boston T Party
8.15 First Call
8.45 True North