TEMPLEGATE takes on a brilliant Saturday of racing confident of ending the jumps season in style.
Back a horse at the best price by clicking their odds below – and be sure to check out Matt Chapman’s bet365 Gold Cup tip and Templegate’s Placepot picks with £150,000 guaranteed.
MINELLA COCOONER (3.35 Sandown, nap)
He looks the pick of the Willie Mullins trio with Danny Mullins in the saddle. He was on board when he finished an excellent third in the Irish National earlier this month and he won’t lack for staying power.
EASY GAME (2.25 Sandown, nb)
He has won seven times at this Grade 2 level and will find this easier than the Red Rum Chase he ran in at Aintree two weeks ago. He looked very rusty there and should be all the fitter for that experience. He likes this trip and can edge Willie Mullins £45,000 closer to the title.
EARLS (2.45 Haydock, treble)
He was beaten on the nod for a hot handicap at The Curragh last week. He was the only horse who could land a blow from off the pace and was in front a yard past the post. He is best over this trip and likes soft ground. A 2lb rise is fair and canny veteran Franny Norton can get him over the line.
Templegate’s verdicts
SANDOWN
1.50
FIERCELY PROUD held his own in Grade 2s at Kempton and Donny but looks to be crying out for this sort of big field.
He tanks along and there is sure to be a good pace on here. He stays well and won’t mind some cut in the ground. There should be a lot more to come after just four hurdles runs.
Cannock Park has been knocking on the door and hit the frame in the Grade 1 Formby Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He went close at Newbury last time and can improve on his handicap debut.
Be Aware is another having his first run at this level for the Skeltons. He won on debut over this trip and found 2m5f possibly a bit stretching at Kelso last time. He looks on a fair mark.
Panjari has plenty of weight but scored nicely for Paul Nicholls at Ffos Las and is on the upgrade.
Lario has been consistent and there’s not a lot between him and Secret Squirrel on their Taunton meeting earlier this month.
Helnwein was second in that contest and is another in with an each-way shout.
Steel Ally is creeping up the weights but has ability and could hit the frame after his Newbury second last time out while Maasai Mara has a nice low weight on handicap debut.
2.25
EASY GAME has won seven times at this Grade 2 level and will find this easier than the Red Rum Chase he ran in at Aintree two weeks ago.
He looked very rusty there and should be all the fitter for that experience.
He likes this trip and can edge Willie Mullins £45,000 closer to the title.
Paul Nicholls would love to stop him and this looks the best chance Hitman will get to land a nice prize.
He often tanks along over three miles before running out of petrol in the closing stages so this 2m6f could be an ideal distance.
He has run well here before in the Tingle Creek and the switch from cheekpieces to blinkers may help.
The Real Whacker of last season would be a big fancy in this but he has been well off the pace this term.
He had far too much on his plate in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham and this is more his standard.
Sam Twiston-Davies can get him out in front and he may take some catching. Ga Law made mistakes when pulled up in the Ryanair last time on the back of a big handicap win at Cheltenham.
He is another who should like this trip. Al Dancer is consistent in good handicaps but needs a bit more for this.
3.00
EL FABIOLO finally threw in the mistake many had been waiting for when pulled up in the Champion Chase last time.
Willie Mullins reports him in fine shape after that mishap and he can confirm superiority over Jonbon here.
The tip has a fantastic engine and has more improvement in him. Hopefully he’ll jump better and, if he does, he’ll be hard to stop.
Jonbon stayed on well to score at Aintree but he won’t mind this drop in distance – especially with the uphill finish.
He made a mistake of his own when beaten at Cheltenham two runs ago but this Tingle Creek winner can push El Fabiolo all the way.
There are several front-runners in this which may stop Edwardstone getting his way on the lead.
He was beaten when falling in the Champion Chase but looks best of the rest.
Boothill has hit the deck on his past two runs and needs to sort out his jumping.
3.35
Minella Cocooner looks the pick of the Willie Mullins trio with Danny Mullins in the saddle.
He was on board when he finished an excellent third in the Irish National earlier this month and he won’t lack for staying power.
Paul Townend presumably had the pick and is on Nick Rockett. He will be helped by this quicker ground but struggled to stay when seventh at Fairyhouse which is a slight worry.
Kitty’s Light showed how tough he is when winning this 12 months ago just a week after taking the Scottish Grand National.
He ran a cracker in the big National at Aintree 14 days ago and has a fantastic record at Sandown. He still looks on a fair weight and should be right there again.
Threeunderthrufive has a big weight to shoulder but he won nicely at Ascot last time and has solid each-way prospects.
Sam Brown has been in fine form and was only a length off the pace at Aintree. He stays well and is another who could hit the frame.
Le Milos has been hurdling all season and has come down the weights a little for the Skeltons. It would be no surprise to see him run a big race.
4.10
IMPAIRE ET PASSE was a bit lucky to keep the Aintree Hurdle in the Stewards’ room last time after a coming together with Langer Dan that arguably cost him the race.
He looked like he was idling in front at Liverpool and this longer trip on better ground could well bring improvement. He’s been lightly raced this season and should have plenty left.
Langer Dan is already 19lb higher than his Coral Cup win and went so close in that Grade 1 last time.
He is a strong stayer who should be right there again at a track where he’s won before.
Ballyadam was second in the Coral Cup but he’s another who is capable of holding his own in smart company.
He is not short of stamina and Sandown’s uphill finish should be right up his street.
Sir Gerhard was an easy winner at Cork 27 days ago after his disappointing effort in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Softer ground would be ideal for him as it would for Botox Has who loves a real slog through the mud.
Blueking D’Oroux and Brewin’upastorm both look a little short of this standard.
4.45
MAYHEM MYA has been running well around two miles but this longer trip looks ideal.
He ran well in the tough Red Rum Chase at Aintree a fortnight ago and has scored around here before.
Outlaw Peter clocked a personal best when winning at Ayr last weekend and can go close if this isn’t coming too soon.
A 4lb rise in the weights looks fair although Harry Cobden has switched to Golden Son who also has some decent form in similar races to this.
Venetia Williams is in modest nick which is a worry for Martator although his form would take him close and he had plenty in hand at Ayr last month.
Kotmask can make a mistake but has had a little nudge down the weights while Persian Time is another who should relish this move up in trip for Nicky Henderson.
5.20
PIC ROC ran a big race when second on handicap debut in the big novices’ final here last month.
He was just collared in the final half-furlong after being out in front for a long way.
He looks on a very fair mark now taking on more seasoned campaigners and he has more to come for trainer Ben Pauling.
Lookaway has held his own in Grade 1 company including at Aintree two weeks ago.
He was second in a hot handicap at Cheltenham earlier this season so should be up to this challenge. He looks a big price to make the frame.
Sa Majeste never got going in the Coral Cup but that was just his third run for Willie Mullins and he has a lot more to offer.
Emailandy had a fair bit in hand when scoring at Plumpton last time and a 5lb rise looks fair. He’s proven over this trip and can take another step forward.
Gold Dancer is another Mullins runner with a shout as he drops down from Graded level. This is just his third run since arriving from France.
Will Carver was too bad to be true at Kempton last time and he’s had a wind op which could get him going again.
LEICESTER
2.05
AL MUBHIR saves his best for testing ground and should be right at home here.
He has plenty of good form at Listed level including when third in the mud at St-Cloud in November.
We know he likes this track because he won this race 12 months ago in very similar conditions. He’s higher in the weights this time but can score.
Look Back Smiling and Thunder Roar had a right ding-dong when first and second in the Doncaster Spring Mile last time.
Soft ground is vital for them both and there won’t be much between them again.
Thunder Roar may just turn the form around on these slightly better terms.
Raadobarg wasn’t disgraced at Newbury last week and is another who will be happier on this testing ground.
He was third in the Irish Lincoln in the mud and is back on the same handicap mark as that good Curragh effort.
Miss Kantik did well in France last season and is another who wants it soft. She tends to go from the front and could take some catching if getting a soft lead.
Magic Memories looked a bit rusty behind Look Back Smiling last time but needs to raise his game.
HAYDOCK
2.45
EARLS was beaten on the nod for a hot handicap at The Curragh last week.
He was the only horse who could land a blow from off the pace and was in front a yard past the post. He is best over this trip and likes soft ground.
A 2lb rise is fair and canny veteran Franny Norton can get him over the line.
Sparks Fly saves her best for testing ground and won a nice prize over a mile here last season.
She’s 9lb higher now but has since scored at Listed level and should be open to improvement as a four-year-old.
Rainbow Fire landed his last win in this race 12 months ago and is back from the same handicap mark. The ground was a lot quicker last year but he can figure if handling these conditions.
Zip has won over trip and track and wasn’t disgraced when fourth at Donny on comeback. Today’s extra furlong will help and he has place claims.
Gweedore goes well fresh and was a cracking third in the Ayr Gold Cup last season so can’t be ruled out.
Templegate’s tips
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