Horse racing tips: Sandown and Haydock – Templegate’s betting preview for TODAY’S ITV racing
HAYDOCK
12.35
ELYSEES is a heavenly bet. He bolted up at Sandown last month on his first taste of turf.
There was nothing wrong with his subsequent effort at Chelmsford six days later and it probably came a bit soon.
He is clearly open to stacks of improvement and I fancy him to make his light weight count. Given this is a staying handicap for three-year-olds it’s no surprise to see Mark Johnston with three runners.
Austrian School has had excuses since completing a hat-trick of wins at Chester in May. If they go a strong gallop which is fairly likely he would be the best of the trio.
Ghostwatch is the one I fear most. He won well at Sandown last month having been hampered when previously behind Austrian School.
Rude Awakening looked miles ahead of the handicapper when scoring at Doncaster last week. A 10lbs rise might not be enough to stop him and he’s another who will be suited by a decent gallop.
IT'S COMING HOME Which racecourses can I watch the England game at this Saturday?
1.10
PRECIOUS RAMOTSWE is worth a bet in the Lancashire Oaks. Her only defeat last season came on testing ground in France and she’s got a progressive profile this term.
Getting her own way out in front in a moderate York Group 3 last time certainly helped but she doesn’t have to make the running.
There’s no telling how far she can go but she looks well up to this level to me.
There’s no doubt Horseplay has the best form. Her second behind Coronet in York’s Middleton Stakes is top form. She does stay today’s longer trip but maybe she’s just a bit better over 1m2f.
God Given won over today’s course and distance last month. That was not a particularly strong Group 3 and she needs to take another step up.
Flattering finished in midfield in the Oaks before landing a Cork Group 3. She has a chance but three-year-olds haven’t got a great record in this race.
1.45
TEODORO should defy the handicapper’s gravity in the Old Newton Cup. He’s shot up a whopping 28lbs since last summer but that’s only because he’s won four times.
Two of those victories came at today’s track and he looked to have improved for the step up to 1m4f when an impressive winner at Newbury last month.
I like Atkinson Grimshaw at a decent price. He has potential upped in trip and he’ll be better for his debut for Scottish trainer Iain Jardine.
Atty Persse could easily take this. He looked sure to make his mark in Group races when winning at Royal Ascot handicap last year but the wheels came off. He’s been gelded since we last saw him but he is an awfully short price.
Crowned Eagle has a chance now trainer Marco Botti has returned to form. He likes to go from the front, though, and I won’t be easy to make all the running in a race like this.
Blakeney Point was a good fourth in this race last year before ending last season with a brace of wins. He’s not as well handicapped now but he did look like he needed his comeback run in May.
Sofia’s Rock got a good ride when scooting home by seven lengths over today’s track and trip last month.
Another decent effort last time helps but he’ll be another fighting it out for the early lead and that might just soften him up.
Templegate's TV tips
12.35 Haydock - Elysees: 'Open to stacks of improvement and can make his light weight count'
1.10 Haydock - Precious Ramotswe: 'She has a really progressive profile this season'
1.45 Haydock - Teodoro: 'Can defy the handicapper once again despite continuing to rise'
12.20 Sandown - Haddaf: 'Three-year-olds have a great record in this race so he has plenty going for him'
12.55 Sandown Pouvoir Magique: 'I’m confident he has a race like this in him'
1.30 Sandown De Fede: 'Her half-length third at Ascot on her return to action in May could not have worked out much better'
2.10 Sandown Roaring Lion: 'The return to the 1m2f of his impressive Dante Stakes victory should be ideal'
SANDOWN
12.20
GET Had up in the Coral Charge. HADDAF loves this place. He added to his course-and-distance handicap win in April when holding off Tricksy Spirit at this track last month.
That came from a poor draw and he’s copped a much more favourable stall in trap three today. Three-year-olds have a great record in this race so he has plenty going for him.
Koditime is another I like from the same age group. He won a competitive York handicap in May and was only nailed close home at Windsor.
He was only sixth behind Haddaf last time but he fluffed the start from the widest draw. I’m expecting better from him.
If Different League came back to her smart juvenile form when placed in Group 1s behind smart stablemates she would have to be considered and she didn’t run badly in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.
Muthmir heads the challenge from the older generation after a Listed win at Haydock. He has a fair bit of class but he hasn’t won a British Group race for nearly three years.
Judicial is probably a bigger threat.
Latest in Horse Racing
12.55
POUVOIR MAGIQUE looks to have a trick or two up his sleeve. He won twice last season but he also disappointed a couple of times.
A gelding operation looked to have helped when he beat smart Ripp Orf at Newbury and there were obvious excuses when he flopped at Newcastle last time.
He got worked up before the race, pulled too hard and finished lame. I’m confident he has a race like this in him.
Diara Prince is progressing fast. He likes fast ground and won nicely over 1m1f at Ripon last time. That stamina is a positive today.
Original Choice won a good Wetherby handicap last month. This big field should suit him but all his best form has come on much easier ground.
Things didn’t pan out for Raising Sand when seventh in the Royal Hunt Cup. He was drawn on the wrong side and found trouble when making ground. Whether this track will play to his strengths is my main worry.
Escobar was well held in the Hunt Cup but that came only six days after he had won at Haydock. He’s got some classy form if you go back far enough.
MAS HYSTERIA Don't miss your pinstickers' guide to the Coral-Eclipse
1.30
STAY faithful to DI FEDE. Her half-length third at Ascot on her return to action in May could not have worked out much better.
The winner Urban Fox won the Group 1 Pretty Polly in Ireland last weekend and runner-up Tribute Act filled the same position in a Royal Ascot Group 2.
She then went in at Leicester before running a solid race in the big-field Sandringham Handicap under a hefty weight at Royal Ascot.
A wide draw might not be ideal but the stats say it won’t be a big problem.
Desert Diamond won well over 1m2f at York in May before finishing a good fourth in the Britannia but Di Fede is 8lbs better off in the weights today.
There’s certainly more races to be won with Sir Michael Stoute’s filly but I’m worried she just won’t be quick enough over a mile.
Awesometank will give it a good go from the front but I’m more worried about Preening. She won a course-and-distance handicap in good style last month and looks well up to this class.
2.10
FEEL the Roar in the Coral-Eclipse.
I fancied ROARING LION before the late withdrawal of Masar and expected John Gosden's horse to exact his revenge.
He was clearly not on his game when thrashed by the Godolphin ace in the Craven and he raced away from the main action when fifth – less than a length behind Masar – behind Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas.
He moved with menace in the Derby but found William Buick’s mount to have too much stamina in the closing stages of a strongly-run 1m4f.
The return to the 1m2f of his impressive Dante Stakes victory should be ideal and the withdrawal of Masar only makes it more compelling.
Saxon Warrior looked class in the Guineas and the ‘coffin box’ stall one in the Derby didn’t help. It was disappointing to see him turned over in the Irish version last week.
This could easily be his best trip but whether he’ll be at his peak just seven days after a hard race at the Curragh is open to question.
Forest Ranger has been transformed by being gelded. He followed his Newmarket Group 3 success by winning the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester.
Neither of those races were particularly strong for the grade and he needs to take another big jump forward.
Hawkbill is a bit of a forgotten horse. He won this race two years ago and his impressive Dubai defeat of Poet’s Word looks smart form now.
He was left trailing by that horse and Cracksman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot but has a chance. I fancy him to beat the other two older horses but he is vulnerable to the three-year-olds.
BEVERLEY
2.00 Zalmi Force
2.35 Thriving
3.10 Shaheen
3.45 Bedwyyah
4.20 Bit Of A Quirke
4.50 Winged Spur
5.20 Terrier Spirit
CARLISLE
6.00 Cliff
6.30 Amazing Alba
7.00 Tylery Wonder
7.30 Zoravan
8.00 Ghayyar (nb)
8.30 Equitant
9.00 Arcadian Cat
CHELMSFORD
1.35 Liberatrix
2.05 Alfie Solomons
2.40 Al Asef
3.15 Sea Youmzain
3.50 Bullingdon
4.25 Fanan
4.55 Lucifugous
5.25 Mr Minerals
HAYDOCK
12.35 Elysees
1.10 Precious Ramotswe
1.45 Teodoro
2.20 Intisaab
2.55 Buridan
3.30 Excellent Times
4.05 Dive For Gold
LEICESTER
1.50 Smooth Sailing
2.25 Cherry Cola
3.00 Railport Dolly
3.35 Flavius Titus
4.10 Sir Commander
4.40 Kabrit
5.10 Makambe
NOTTINGHAM
5.40 Windsorlot
6.10 Hatha
6.40 Choosey
7.10 Sula Island
7.40 Afandem
8.10 Make Good
8.40 Institution
SANDOWN
12.20 Haddaf
12.55 Pouvoir Magique
1.30 Di Fede (nap)
2.10 Roaring Lion
2.45 Point Hope
3.20 High Jinx
3.55 De Medici (treble)