Racing Tips – Top Tipster Templegate’s best horse racing selections for Saturday, March 17
Kempton, Uttoxeter, Fontwell, Newcastle and Wolverhampton all come under the spotlight as Templegate gives you his best bets for the day
GET the latest tips ahead of a busy day of racing from across the country.
Top tipster Templegate guides you through the cards from Kempton, Uttoxeter, Fontwell, Newcastle and Wolverhampton on Saturday, March 17.
HOUBLON DES OBEAUX loves nothing more than a nice long plod through soft ground so he should love today’s Midlands Grand National (3.35).
A cloud only has to hover over Uttoxeter for it to turn into a bog and the forecast rain should leave the going right up his street.
Running more than four miles is beyond many horses but this fella keeps going like the Duracell bunny. He showed his liking for a marathon when fourth in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January when he only started to get going at the end of 3m5f.
He then found the ground too quick at Haydock last time and that run is best forgotten. For some reason, so many of Venetia Williams’ runners like to get their toe in and he’s no exception.
He was good enough to win the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury this time last year and has had a couple of cracks at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in his prime.
That’s why he’s right up there at the head of the weights but he’s in a different class to most of these rivals. At the prices, he’s got every chance of making the frame at least.
READ MORE CHELTENHAM NEWS
SPOOKYDOOKY is another worth a couple of quid as he’s proven his ability to stay this epic distance.
He comes here on the back of an excellent effort at Exeter last time where he kept going right to the line in the Devon National.
It was a good effort to be beaten just over a length having been asked to make up a lot of ground in the closing stages. He likes to come late but hopefully jockey Killian Moore will give him a bit less to do. Taking his claim into account, he’s only 3lb higher than that solid effort.
GOLDEN SPEAR comes from canny Irish trainer Tony Martin and he can have a massive say in Kempton’s Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle (2.40).
He has form in big fields over timber and on the Flat where he showed enough pace to win the Irish November Handicap at Leopardstown in October.
He hasn’t been asked too many questions over hurdles this season but there was a lot to like about his third in a 20-runner cavalry charge last time out.
He was bang in contention for that Leopardstown contest before being knocked sideways at a crucial stage in the proceedings.
That stopped him for a good few strides but he was able to put the burners on again and might have won in a few more strides.
The handicapper has shunted him up 7lb for that but that’s not outrageous and he gives the impression there’s more to come over hurdles.
Brio Conti could prove to be his biggest rival. He swerved Cheltenham because this flat track probably suits him best. He was an impressive winner by nine lengths at Doncaster last time and his opening handicap mark of 134 could prove to be generous.
BALLYBOLLEY looked like he needed the run at Newcastle last time and can come good in Kempton’s 3.15.
He was in cracking form before Christmas with game wins at Wetherby and Huntingdon. He then performed with credit to finish second in a Sandown Listed contest before hating the bottomless ground at Haydock in November.
Nigel Twiston-Davies was wise to give him a little break after that and his Gosforth Park run should see him spot on. The speed track is also in his favour as he has plenty of zip.
OTHER SELECTIONS
KEMPTON TIPS
1.30 Apasionado
2.05 Clic Work
2.40 Golden Spear
3.15 Ballybolley
3.50 Dreamsoftheatre
4.25 Cultivator
5.00 Colonial Dreams
UTTOXETER TIPS
1.50 Graasten
2.25 American
3.00 De Vous A Moi
3.35 Houblon Des Obeaux
4.10 Rock My Style
4.45 Ballycoe
5.20 Flobury
5.50 The Welsh Paddies
FONTWELL TIPS
1.40 Ms Parfois
2.15 Bertenbar
2.50 Sainte Ladylime
3.25 Solatentif
4.00 City Supreme
4.35 Bound Hill
5.10 William Money
NEWCASTLE TIPS
2.00 Reivers Lad
2.35 Bassarabad
3.10 Vasco D’ycy
3.45 Sharp Response
4.20 Uno Valoroso
4.55 Nuts Well
5.30 Zaru
WOLVERHAMPTON TIPS
5.45 Par Three
6.15 Shamash
6.45 Capo Rosso
7.15 Dalavida
7.45 Hannington
8.15 Lady Lydia