TEMPLEGATE takes on Saturday’s racing confident of bashing the bookies.
GIT MAKER (2.50 Chepstow, nap)
Can win the Welsh Grand National. Jamie Snowden ran this nine-year-old over hurdles at Lingfield last time to save his handicap mark for this main target. He gets his favoured decent ground and has a Scottish National third and Kim Muir second — to Gold Cup winner Inowthewayurthinkin — on his solid staying CV.
THISTLE ASK (2.30 Kempton, nb)
Is a rising star of the chasing game and can take the Desert Orchid. He put Saint Segal in his place when landing a hat-trick in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and can take another step forward.
INDEMNITY (3.37 Kempton, treble)
Ran another cracker when third at Newbury last time when one error proved costly. He’s usually an excellent jumper and can get back to winning ways for in-form trainer Emma Lavelle.
Templegate’s TV verdicts
CHEPSTOW
1.05
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SIAM PARK was impressive at Plumpton last time and can show that was no fluke.
Joe Tizzard’s six-year-old travelled strongly and jumped slickly when putting the race to bed with plenty in hand. A 7lb rise in the weights looks fair enough.
Jour d’Evasion commands respect after making a smooth transition from hurdles, powering clear at Bangor and shaping like there’s more to come over fences.
He’s proven on testing ground and usually races handily, which is rarely a bad thing around here.
Storminhome is lightly raced for his age and has bits of form that make him dangerous if ready after a long absence, though his best efforts have come over further.
Passing Kate arrives in solid heart, having chased home Jour d’Evasion last time but she needs more to turn that form around.
Heads Or Harps is another who handles some cut and can hit the frame if things fall right.
Ballybreeze likes it here and is capable on his day, but consistency has never been his strong suit.
1.40
MACKTOAD sets the standard after an impressive Sandown success last time.
Gary and Josh Moore’s French recruit showed class and composure on his British debut, travelling strongly before asserting late, and he quickened clear like a class act with more to come.
Good to soft ground holds no fears and this sharper test should suit a horse who already looks streetwise for his age.
Kaldoun Des Rocs rates the chief threat after chasing home the tip at Sandown.
Dan Skelton’s gelding was too far off the pace as the race unfolded and should step forward with that experience under his belt.
Sonic Pioneer bolted up at Kempton when jumping well but this is a big rise in class on a very different track so he’ll need another big run.
Manlaga makes her first UK start for Nicky Henderson after winning well at Auteuil, though she lacks match practice.
Klycot and Tenter Le Tout both arrive off Exeter wins but face a significant jump in class and need to improve again to get involved.
2.10
CREBILLY caught the eye on his return to hurdling at Aintree last time behind Impose Toi who has franked the form.
He was asked to make up far too much ground before coming home strongly over three miles.
That run should have sharpened him up nicely and a proper stamina test on decent ground looks ideal.
He’s only 2lb higher than his last winning mark and has enough talent to strike.
Keable is an obvious danger after striking at Newbury last month, staying on strongly and confirming himself a progressive stayer, though a higher mark now asks another question.
Ambion View continues to knock on the door and rarely runs a bad race, but he has become expensive to follow and may again find one too strong.
Royal Rambler is better than his recent finishing positions suggest and could easily bounce back now returned to a more suitable trip.
Doctor Kildare has the ability to get involved if leaving his latest poor effort at Donny behind, while King Of The Lake will be fitter now but is still 10lb higher than his last win.
2.50
GIT won’t miss in the £170,000 Coral Welsh Grand National.
GIT MAKER (2.50 Chepstow, nap) is fit from a spin over hurdles and showed his staying power when third in last year’s Scottish National off this mark.
He can strike on his favourite decent ground ahead of the tough Mr Vango and strong stayers Jubilee Express and O’Connell.
Here’s my 1-2-3-4-5 prediction.
1st Git Maker
2nd Jubilee Express
3rd O’Connell
4th Mr Vango
5th Rock My Way
KEMPTON
1.20
DELLA CASA LUNGA can make it back-to-back wins in this staying contest.
Clive Boultbee-Brooks’ tough mare arrives off the same mark as when landing this race 12 months ago.
She travelled strongly that day out front before finding plenty up the straight, and she’s clearly been trained with another crack at it in mind.
Her latest Listed run here was better than it looked, finishing with running left in a race that didn’t play to her strengths, and this return to handicap company over a proper three miles looks ideal.
Proven at the venue, proven at the trip and proven off the mark, she sets a solid standard.
Greyval is respected after a productive spell last season and has the stamina for this but she was well held last time and needs to bounce back.
Holly Hartingo was second in this race last year and arrives after a strong comeback run here, making her an obvious danger if building on that.
Star Walking is consistent and shaped well at Ascot on her return.
Porter In The Park is reliable and looks in the each-way picture too.
1.55
LUMP SUM faced a tall order behind potential superstar Lulamba at Sandown and this looks a wiser target.
A smart hurdler last season, he has taken well to fences, bolting up in a Uttoxeter maiden before that perfectly respectable third the Henry VIII.
Back at a track where he’s delivered before he can score on ideal ground.
Mambonumberfive has done little wrong since going chasing.
His wins at Aintree and Newbury showed slick jumping and a willing attitude and further progress is likely but this is a step up in class against a more battle-hardened rival.
Alnilam is best judged on his Cheltenham novice success in October and is worth forgiving his Henry VIII exit after a bad blunder.
He brings solid form and could try to make it, though he may find one or two too quick late on.
Mirabad arrives unbeaten over fences after an Exeter success, but that came in a small-field maiden and this asks much sterner questions.
Hansard coasted home in a weak Lingfield maiden but this is a huge jump in quality.
2.30
THISTLE ASK has exploded on to the two-mile chasing scene and looks the one to beat in this red-hot Grade 2.
Since moving to the Skeltons, he has rattled off four straight wins, jumping slickly and travelling like a class act.
He brushed aside Saint Segal by seven lengths in the Haldon Gold Cup.
Still on the up and thriving on decent ground, his attacking style is perfect for this test.
Saint Segal is the obvious danger despite that reversal. He arrives here in rude health after another convincing win at Kelso. He will make it a proper race again.
Ryan’s Rocket produced a career-best performance to land a deep Newbury handicap on his return.
He has always hinted at this level of ability and is well suited by a sharp two miles, though this is tougher again.
Sans Bruit is better than he has shown this term and is dangerously well treated if bouncing back to last season’s peak, while Gabriel’s Getaway is consistent and sure to be staying on when others cry enough.
Boothill and Calgary Tiger have questions to answer on recent efforts.
3.07
PRINCE ZALTAR can boss this off a workable mark after a rock-solid Doncaster third. He stayed on strongly on Town Moor and the handicapper has left his mark alone.
The Skelton yard is flying, he’s proven he handles a sound surface and putting cheekpieces back on can give him the little nudge he needs to strike.
Montregard is the obvious threat after back-to-back wins at Worcester and Ascot, travelling sweetly and finding plenty late but his mark has gone north.
Kap Vert was an impressive winner on chasing debut at Taunton, jumping boldly and powering clear, and he’s entitled to improve again now stepping up slightly in trip.
Viroflay is knocking hard on the door after three straight seconds and has strong form here, though he’s giving plenty of weight away.
Bective Abbey looks solid and sees out this trip well, while Beachcomber is the defending champ but was pulled up on reappearance and needs to bounce back.
Wiseguy is a stayer with a touch of class but was well held at Newbury and has questions to answer.
3.37
INDEMNITY has hardly put a foot wrong since going over hurdles and can land another nice prize.
He scored on comeback at Rasen before pushing the useful Alexei all the way at Ascot.
Last time at Newbury he again shaped well, finishing third after a late mistake when still right in the fight, and his strong-travelling style looks made for Kempton on decent ground.
Trustintimes is the obvious threat being unbeaten over hurdles and a course winner in bumpers, showing plenty of grit to nick it at Ascot on handicap debut last time.
He’s still learning but has the profile of one with more to come.
Nardaran also has winning form and looked useful when taking a small-field handicap at Sandown, but the sudden pull-up at Plumpton raises a big question.
Williethebuilder arrives on the back of a solid Doncaster second and could be bang there if this becomes a proper test, while Wandering Ego has ability but didn’t get the gallop he wanted here last time.
De Temps En Temps has class from novice wins but was too free at Cheltenham and must settle.
Washington has been out of sorts and needs to bounce back.
Templegate’s tips
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