Templegate’s horse racing tips: Sodexo Gold Cup day at Ascot – Top betting preview for TODAY’S ITV racing
Ascot, Newmarket, Wetherby, Ayr and Newcastle come under the spotlight as Templegate gives you his best bets for the day
Ascot
1.50
GET ready for the Ascot Underwriting Chase.
WENYERREADYFREDDIE had some promising form as a novice hurdler a couple of years ago.
He put up a smart performance on only his second run over fences when runner-up to top prospect Lil Rockerfeller – a winner again since – at Uttoxeter last month.
His only hurdles win came on soft ground but he looks more at home on a faster surface. I’m confident he’s well weighted.
Amour De Nuit made a winning start to his chasing career when successful at Kempton in May.
EURO STARS Get the lowdown on the British and Irish challengers at the Breeders' Cup
He was the only one to complete when he followed up at Ludlow after a summer break but he has plenty of potential.
Sternrubin loves Ascot. He won twice over hurdles at this track and is potentially well treated.
His Exeter chase win last month in a two-runner race didn’t really mean much and his jumping wasn’t perfect. He might be vulnerable to less exposed runners.
Peppay Le Pugh made it three wins from five starts since joining Dan Skelton when a game winner at Worcester last month. This is a tougher assignment but he should run his race.
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2.25
THE Byrne Group Handicap Chase looks Rock solid.
SHANTOU ROCK is wonderfully consistent. He’s only been out of the first three once in 12 completed starts over hurdles and fences.
His Aintree third behind Diego Du Charmil in the spring came in a Grade 1 novices’ chase and he’s also chased home the likes of Sceau Royal and Cyrname in chases.
There’s nothing of the calibre of those horse in today’s field so I expect him to take advantage of the cooler contest.
Champagne At Tara notched a couple of wins on decent ground in the summer. His record says he will struggle having gone up in the weights.
Ink Master should help put the pace to the race but he needs to bounce back from a crashing fall last time out.
Vosne Romanee was pulled up behind Modus at Cheltenham last weekend. His hopes rest on the visor he wears for the first time instead of his usual cheekpieces working the oracle.
3.00
FOLLOW the Bere.
DIVIN BERE was a smart juvenile hurdler a couple of seasons ago. He was only beaten a neck off top weight in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival and then chased home Defi Du Seuil when upped to Grade 1 class at Aintree.
Last season – after making the switch from Nicky Henderson to Paul Nicholls – was a disaster. He just didn’t show any form at all.
It was no surprise to see him have a wind operation in the spring and his recent Flat win at Bath was a step in the right direction. If his problems are behind him he could easily be well weighted.
Magic Dancer made a promising comeback at Cheltenham last Friday. He struck on his second start of last season but he’s not as well weighted now.
Countister won twice after arriving from France but she checked out on testing ground when fifth in the mares’ novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. There’s more races in her and the decent ground will help.
Global Citizen showed his hand when running away with the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton last season.
The ground was softer than ideal when sixth behind Lalor in an Aintree Grade 1 but he has started life in handicaps with a testing weight.
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3.35
I’M Geordie sure in the Sodexo Gold Cup.
Rebecca Curtis has endured a couple of wretched seasons but the Welsh trainer appears to have put her troubles behind her.
Her GEORDIE DES CHAMPS won twice last season and he was far from disgraced when fifth behind Virgilio in the Summer Cup.
He looks nicely treated and he certainly has mores races in him.
Go Conquer makes his debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies having left Jonjo O’Neil. He won this race from the front 12 months ago and would be dangerous if getting an easy time of it on the front end.
Traffic Fluide signed off last season with a couple of wins. He made a good return when runner-up at Chepstow and he’s still nicely weighted.
Adrien Du Pont won first time out last season but that was in an ordinary Fontwell novices’ chase.
He will need to settle better than he sometimes does if he’s to last this longer trip.
Templegate's TV tips
- 1.50 Ascot - Wenyerreadyfreddie
- 2.05 Wetherby - Oscar Rose
- 2.25 Ascot - Garde La Victoire
- 2.40 Wetherby - Black Corton
- 3.00 Ascot - Divin Bere
- 3.15 Wetherby - Wholestone
- 3.35 Ascot - Geordie Des Champs
Wetherby
2.05
OSCAR ROSE looks ready to bloom.
She’s always had plenty of ability. Her bumper form – including a second in mares’ contest at the Grand National meeting – was good.
She has taken a while to warm up over hurdles but the wet winter last season would not have done her any favours.
The Worcester prize she won last month might not have been the greatest race ever run but it should have done her confidence the world of good.
Her record on decent ground is solid and I’m sure we’ve not seen the best of her.
Irish Roe progressed into a useful mare last season. She might just need her first run following a summer break.
Lady Buttons has been chasing and this is likely to be a sighter for a return to fences.
Whatzdjazz concedes fitness advantage to Oscar Rose but she should run well if fit enough to do herself justice. She likes quick ground but she is likely to come into her own over slightly further.
2.40
GO back to Black in the Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.
Bryony Frost – one of the stars of last season – struck up a wonderful partnership with BLACK CORTON.
They teamed up to win seven chases and kept improving throughout last term. The RSA Chase at Cheltenham was a step too far and it’s not hard to give his below-par Aintree effort as he had been on the go for a long time.
I’m not sure he’s quite up to Gold Cup class but he is more than capable of taking a race like this.
Virgilio fell at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit in the Grand National but he’s won both his races since.
There’s was a lot to like about the way he won a good race at Uttoxeter last time but he’s taking on a few bigger boys today.
Double Shuffle seems best on right-handed tracks. He got within a length of Might Bite in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
That effort makes handicaps tough for him so he has limited opportunities and he probably has to run here on a course that’s unlikely to suit.
Definitly Red put himself in the Gold Cup picture when storming home in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham’s Trials meeting last January.
He made little impact in the big one and he probably needs the ground much softer than it’s going to be today.
3.15
GO the Whole hog in the Bet365 Hurdle.
WHOLESTONE was runner-up behind Colin’s Sister in this race 12 months ago.
He went on to win at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day before returning to run third in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival.
There are reasons to expect him to be even better this season.
Old Guard seems to have been around for yonks but he’s still only seven. He was no match for Verdana Blue at Kempton two weeks ago and he’s still got stamina to prove over today’s 3m trip.
Clyne has yet to race beyond 2m5f. He tends to find life tough in Graded races and his best efforts have all come on much softer ground.
Keeper Hill suffered jumping problems over fences last season. He was a decent novice hurdler and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him run well.
Monbeg Theatre completed a hat-trick of wins when landing a course-and-distance handicap last month. This is a big rise in class for Jamie Snowden’s ace.
ASCOT
12.40 Pym
1.15 Darling Maltaix
1.50 Wenyerreadyfreddie (nb)
2.25 Shantou Rock
3.00 Divin Bere
3.35 Geordie Des Champs (treble)
4.05 Emitom
AYR
12.30 Sassy Diva
1.05 Orioninverness
1.40 Our Kaempfer
2.15 Rolling Maul
2.50 Ontopoftheworld
3.25 Le Patriote
3.55 Eeze A Saint
NEWCASTLE
3.30 Oscar’s Ridge
4.00 Frederickbarbarosa
4.30 You Never Can Tell
5.00 Deputise
5.30 Gilded Heaven
6.00 Odds On Oli
6.30 She’s Royal
7.00 Reconcile
NEWMARKET
12.15 Firebird Song
12.50 Imperial Charm
1.25 Aspire Tower
2.00 Madeleine Bond
2.35 Mannaal
3.10 Collide
3.45 Robin Of Navan
4.15 Roller
WETHERBY
12.20 The Paddy Pie
12.55 Thistle Do Nicely
1.30 Nightfly
2.05 Oscar Rose (nap)
2.40 Black Corton
3.15 Wholestone
3.50 Secret Legacy