Horse racing tips: Templegate’s 6-1 NAP looks a massive improver for a yard that simply loves landing a gamble

TEMPLEGATE takes on Wednesday’s racing confident of finding a few winners.

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NASSALAM (2.50 Chepstow, nap)

He really enjoyed himself when winning the trial for this race by almost six lengths earlier this month. He could have at least doubled that margin but the excellent Caoilin Quinn knew the race was won a long way out. He has to handle the extra six furlongs here but he is an improving young chaser who has every chance under a 4lb penalty.

FIRST FLOW (1.05 Chepstow, nb)

He is a Grade 1 performer at best and, while that was a little while ago, he showed lots of positive signs when second on comeback at Ascot last time. That race was run over two miles but this longer trip is his best and he goes on any ground. He has to give weight away but has class.

BOOTHILL (2.30 Kempton, treble)

He has taken his form to a new level this season with two excellent wins at Ascot. The first of those was by four lengths and, while he only had half a length in hand last time, it was a more impressive performance. He is best over this speedy trip and a 3lb rise in the weights gives him every chance for Sunracing columnist Harry Fry who continues in fine fettle.

Templegate’s TV tips

CHEPSTOW

1.05

FIRST FLOW is a Grade 1 performer at best and, while that was a little while ago, he showed lots of positive signs when second on comeback at Ascot last time.

That race was run over two miles but this longer trip is his best and he goes on any ground. He has to give weight away but has class.

Good Risk At All scored by 16 lengths on his chase debut at Carlisle in October but he failed to build on that at Cheltenham last time.

He may not have enjoyed the three-mile trip there and it’s still early days over fences.

War Lord has quality on his day but his day is all too rare these days. He struggled at Aintree last time and he’s had a little nudge down the weights. It’s a leap of faith to back him though.

Quel Destin only had one rival to beat at Fontwell last time and will try to pull off his front-running tactics in this small field. He needs to raise his game.

1.40

TANGANYIKA enjoyed stepping up to this distance when scoring at Bangor 12 days ago.

He won’t mind what the ground is doing and a 4lb rise in the weights looks more than fair.

Trainer Venetia Williams continues in excellent form. Mario De Pail is interesting coming back over the smaller obstacles.

His last hurdles win came from a 6lb higher mark and he is at home tackling this testing trip.

Classic Concorde has been in excellent form and had plenty up his sleeve when scoring at Ffos Las in November.

He’s had a little rise in the weights for that but still looks open to improvement.

Uncle Bert has been tried at Grade 1 level and, while he wasn’t up to that, he wasn’t disgraced in a Newbury handicap last time and can hit the frame.

Bells Of Peterboro won this race two years ago and returning to his favourite track may perk him up.

2.10

BURDETT ROAD looks on a different level to these rivals after two impressive wins since he switched to hurdles.

He was a good handicapper on the Flat and showed that quality with a 12-length victory on debut at Huntingdon before stepping up to take a Cheltenham Grade 2 in style last month.

That’s by far the strongest form on show here and there should be a lot more to come.

Harsh was impressive at Cork latest where he had eight lengths in hand on testing ground. He needs to find more on form but it’s early days so there’s every chance he will do.

Balboa was a nice winner here in October and wasn’t disgraced in fair company at Cheltenham last time. This will need another step forward but he could run into the places.

Salver has his sights raised here after good wins at Exeter and Warwick. He has won without breaking sweat and isn’t out of the each-way running.

Authoceltic was behind him in Devon latest and there’s no obvious reason why he’ll turn the form around.

2.50

NASSALAM really enjoyed himself when winning the trial for this race by almost six lengths earlier this month.

He could have at least doubled that margin but the excellent Caoilin Quinn knew the race was won a long way out.

He has to handle the extra six furlongs here but he is an improving young chaser who has every chance under a 4lb penalty.

Chambard came right back to his best when winning the Becher Chase at Aintree last time and will have no stamina issues. He can’t be ignored with his yard in amazing form.

Super Survivor won well here this time last year and has run just twice since. He can build on a good second at Lingfield latest.

The Big Breakaway is not one to rely on but he was an excellent second in this race 12 months ago and is 1lb lower in the handicap today. It would be no surprise to see him go close.

Iwilldoit won this in 2021 from 13lb lower and should be fit from a run over hurdles. His rider takes off a valuable 7lb which brings him into it.

Autonomous Cloud has been in fine form in lesser contests and deserves a crack at this stronger company. He could make the frame. Of the big prices, Wayfinder ran well here last time and could nick one of the extra places on offer.

KEMPTON

1.20

SIR GINO has had just one run in his native France in April where he was the convincing winner of a Listed contest at Auteuil.

That was enough for his powerful connections to get the chequebook out and send him to Nicky Henderson. He should be primed for this debut and can take another step forward.

Nachtgeist is another European buy to keep an eye on having his first run in the UK. He was placed at Group 2 level on the Flat in Germany and should make a nice hurdler.

Ithaca’s Arrow was a fair handicapper on the level and made a good start when beaten just a head over hurdles at Sandown earlier this month.

He can progress from that and is a contender for the forecast spot.

Insanity wasn’t disgraced on his first spin over timber at Market Rasen but this is tougher.

Torneo cost around £100,000 and looked as though his hurdles debut at Catterick would bring him on.

1.55

NICKLE BACK caught the eye with some excellent jumping when second in a Newbury Grade 2 last time out.

He deserved that crack at stronger company after winning a couple of handicaps by a combined 43 lengths.

Dropping back in trip shouldn’t be an issue as he is pacy and he’ll be hard to peg back from the front.

Master Chewy looks the only credible threat. He has shown plenty since switching to fences with a 12-length win at Aintree on debut before a close second there and again at Newbury last time.

He is proven over this trip and could easily improve at this early stage of his career.

Bourbali had just one rival to beat at Kempton last time but did it nicely enough by 22 lengths. He will find life a lot tougher here.

Soul Icon was going like the winner before unseating on chase debut but this looks a tall order.

2.30

BOOTHILL has taken his form to a new level this season with two excellent wins at Ascot.

The first of those was by four lengths and, while he only had half a length in hand last time, it was a more impressive performance.

He is best over this speedy trip and a 3lb rise in the weights gives him every chance for Sunracing columnist Harry Fry who continues in fine fettle.

Elixir De Nutz is in the form of his life and had a bit left in the tank when winning at Newbury latest.

He may be taken on for the lead here which has to be a slight concern but he has plenty of quality.

Nube Negra is proven in this grade and won this race back in 2020. He comes here in modest form after a 38-length beating in the Tingle Creek so has something to prove again.

Editeur Du Gite has a Grade 1 on his CV over this trip but is another with questions to answer after four hefty beatings in a row.

3.09

TEA CLIPPER is overdue a win but went mighty close at Ascot last time and the form of that effort has been franked by the winner scoring since.

He likes this track and has been seeing out this three-mile trip well. He is still well handicapped and trainer Tom Lacey has been firing in the winners.

Hidden Heroics came back to form on testing ground when scoring at Ludlow and has lots of staying power.

A 2lb rise for that victory looks more than fair but conditions will be quicker today.

Tweed Skirt was still going nicely when unseating Nico De Boinville at Market Rasen last time. We’re still not sure she stays this far but the track suits.

Enrilo has been hit and miss for a long time and needs the Paul Nicholls magic to rekindle him.

Dalamoi has a 1 in his form but that was from a walkover and he was poor last time at Chepstow.

Templegate’s tips and Irish selections

Leopardstown

12.05 Ethical Diamond
12.35 Marine Nationale
1.10 Captain Guinness
1.45 Daddy Long Legs
2.20 Still Ciel (NAP)
3.00 Amirite (nb)
3.35 Joystick

Limerick

12.19 Garde La Peche
12.52 Casey West
1.27 Hauturiere
2.02 Sa Majeste
2.37 Alpesh Amin
3.12 A Great Buzz
3.47 Hens Tooth

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