Horse racing tips: Templegate’s 13-2 NAP can make a mockery of his mark in £100,000 Imperial Cup

TEMPLEGATE takes on Saturday’s racing confident of boosting the coffers just in time for Cheltenham.

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MAKING HEADWAY (2.25 Sandown, nap)

Can fly home in the £100,000 Imperial Cup. This improving six-year-old has already held his own at Grade 1 level when fourth in the Formby Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day. He then landed his first victory over timber at Newbury without breaking sweat.

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Training team Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero must have been delighted when the handicapper gave their gelding an opening mark of 129. It will be disappointing if he’s not better than that. He has a touch of class but looks a stayer too on breeding which will be a major asset up Sandown’s punishing home straight.

JUST CALL ME LUCY (3.00 Sandown, nb)

Scooted up Carlisle’s hill to land a 17-length success last time out. There was plenty of juice in the ground at the Cumbrian track so she should relish conditions. Mark Walford’s mare has a lot more to come.

KINGDOM COME (3.15 Wolverhampton, treble)

He left his challenge too late at Lingfield last time when third and can get the job done today.

Templegate’s TV verdicts

SANDOWN

1.50

FIRE FLYER is improving fast and followed a convincing Wincanton success with a battling victory at Taunton last time.

He makes his handicap debut from a mark of 127 that may underestimate him. He handles soft ground well and there’s more to come.

Asta La Pasta tanked along in the mud at Wetherby latest and seemed to have a bit left at the line.

He’ll get similar conditions here and will be right there for the Skeltons.

Hasthing was a classy bumper horse and won his first two starts over hurdles at Leicester and Catterick in testing conditions.

He didn’t get the run of the race when midfield at Newbury last time and he’s another who has been given a real chance by the handicapper.

Pic Roc saw out this trip well when winning at Ascot last time. The ground was a bit quicker there but it was a good performance and he’s open to improvement.

At a big price, Dartmoor Pirate should have more to offer over this distance after a solid second at Wincanton last month.

2.25

MAKING HEADWAY has been running in classy contests this season and went close in a Haydock Grade 2 before a solid fourth in the highest grade at Aintree on Boxing Day.

He didn’t have to hit that level when landing his first victory over timber at Newbury four weeks ago but still did it nicely.

He is bred to get further than this so stamina won’t be an issue in the testing conditions and he can improve again on just his fourth hurdles spin for Greenall and Guerriero.

Sans Bruit is interesting on his second start for Paul Nicholls after arriving from France where he ran in Grade 1 company.

He will be right at home in these testing conditions and he’ll be fitter for that comeback run.

Bad has a habit of running well without winning but he didn’t do a lot wrong when beaten a neck in a good race at Ascot last time. He will be in the picture again.

3.00

JUST CALL ME LUCY looks juicy in this classy contest.

After showing promise on debut in good company at Aintree, she destroyed her rivals at Carlisle to land a 17-length win without breaking sweat.

Both those runs were in testing conditions so the ground won’t be an issue and there’s a lot more to come from Mark Walford’s mare.

Magical Annie loved the mud when scoring on debut at Galway in October before finding conditions too quick in this grade at Donny latest.

More rain would only enhance her chance here. Harry Cobden rides Plantaroma who made a decent start when second at Carlisle last month.

She stayed on well up the hill in the testing ground and should take a step forward.

Expensive buy Honky Tonk Highway makes her rules debut for the Skeltons and could be anything having won her only point-to-point start.

Crazierthendaisy showed promise on debut for Nicky Henderson when a close-up third at Huntingdon.

She improved as the race went on and should appreciate this stiffer test of stamina.

3.35

GOLDEN SON put a couple of ropey runs behind him when winning at Kempton over this trip last time.

The second has won since so the form looks solid and a 3lb rise in the weights is more than fair.

Terresita jumped them into submission from the front when scoring easily at Ludlow. This is tougher but he can’t be ignored.

Invincible Nao won a minor race easily at Fakenham latest and is best over this sort of trip on soft.

He has place claims along with Heros who went close at Wetherby and loves the mud.

Kotmask survived a late blunder to score at Plumpton latest. He is proven around here but will need a bit more as he sneaks up the weights.

WOLVERHAMPTON

2.40

DOCTOR KHAN JUNIOR is unbeaten on the all-weather this season and was better than ever when scoring over course and distance last time.

He deserves this step out of handicap company and can deliver again.

Shouldvebeenaring almost pulled off a 50-1 shock when beaten a neck in the Haydock Sprint Cup last year.

He followed up with a Longchamp Group 1 third over this trip and is the big danger. He may just need this after 160 days off.

Nine Tenths went close in this class at Lingfield last time when the mile may not have been ideal. She has form around here and can figure.

Mums Tipple was a bit unlucky on comeback at Lingfield but would probably prefer six furlongs. The rest have a mountain to climb.

3.15

KINGDOM COME has gone close on both starts this season and should be spot-on to strike.

He flew home at Lingfield last time when given far too much to do on his first crack at this mile.

Rossa Ryan will have learned his lesson so will keep him closer to the pace here now he’s proven his staying power.

Johnny Murtagh sends over Final Voyage who had a bit up his sleeve when scoring at Dundalk. The booking of William Buick takes the eye.

King’s Code has been in good form with a win at Kempton. He’ll need a bit more from 5lb higher.

Smoky Mountain is consistent at lower levels but the pick of his form has come over seven furlongs.

Tacarib Bay has questions to answer stepping up from sprint trips while Sir Busker still has plenty of weight to contend with.

Templegate’s tips

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