‘He’ll beat the Willie Mullins brigade’ – Templegate’s Galway Plate runner-by-runner guide and big 10-1 tip

28 July 2021; Royal Rendezvous, Paul Townend up, on their way to winning the Tote Galway Plate Steeplechase during day three of the Galway Races Summer Festival at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile Credit: Sportsfile TEMPLEGATE tackles the Galway Plate looking to land the Irish pot of gold. Our man runs through all the runners below – rating them from one (worst) to five (best) – before delivering his tip and 1-2-3 prediction at the bottom. Templegate likes the look of an Aintree Grand National Festival winner in the Galway Plate Credit: EPA The big race is off at 6.40pm on Wednesday and is live on Racing TV. Back any horse you fancy by clicking their odds below. Tote: Get £20 in free bets Templegate’s Galway Plate runner-by-runner guide SENECIA 2 NO Sen-se. Back to winning ways in a Grade 3 after getting an easy lead but things are unlikely to fall so kindly this time. Stays the trip and handles the ground, though a stronger pace and higher mark make life tougher. THREE CARD BRAG 3 CARD can be played. Finished well behind Senecia over a shorter trip and today’s extra distance looks a better fit. Reliable in valuable staying handicaps, likes it here and should give another good account. Most read in Horse Racing FUNICULI FUNICULA 4 FUN bet. Progressive chaser who has won his last two in good style, including a competitive Punchestown handicap. This trip should suit and there’s still more to come with Paul Townend picking him of the Mullins team. GORGEOUS TOM 3 CAPTAIN Tom. Best forgiven his Grand National run after plenty of interference. Earlier handicap form stacks up well, he stays this far and could be a big player if bouncing back. WILL THE WISE 5 WILL has a way. Progressive novice who landed the Topham over the Grand National fences and already has a chase win here. He was a cracking second in the Sun Racing Cheltenham Festival Plate too. Versatile over trip and ground, still looks on a fair mark and has leading claims. JESSE EVANS 4 EVANS above. Tough, reliable performer who arrives off a convincing Listed win and was runner-up in this race last year. Likes it here and looks set for another bold bid. OL MAN DINGLE 3 MAN alive. Back on track with a determined handicap win at Kilbeggan and has held his own in decent company. Likes it here, but this is a tougher test from a higher mark. PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS 3 LEGAL eagle. Much more like it when runner-up last time despite untidy jumping. Stays well and has a good record here but jumping errors remain a concern. DOWNMEXICOWAY 4 DOWN on the up. Promising novice who was unlucky in the Sun Racing Plate at the Cheltenham Festival after meeting trouble. Step back up in trip should suit and there’s still scope from this mark. ROCKY’S DIAMOND 2 DIAMOND needs polish. Looked a smart novice earlier in the season but has lost his way a little. Likes it here and stays well enough, though he needs to bounce back. NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK 4 NOW then. Continued progressing through the spring, winning a Grade 3 before running well in Grade 1 company. Stays this trip and still has room for improvement. Debut for Gordon Elliott. REVEREND HUBERT 3 REVVED up. Comes here in great heart after wide-margin hurdle and Flat wins. His chase mark asks a different question but current form makes him hard to dismiss. MAXXUM 2 XUM-thing to find. Capable on his day but well below form last time. Stays this trip and conditions suit, though he needs to rediscover his best. NOUVOTIC 4 NOU beauty. Progressive second-season chaser who won well before another solid effort last time. Prominent style should suit here and he still looks on a workable mark. BUDDY ONE 2 BUDDY needs a friend. Course-and-distance winner whose recent Flat run should have blown away the cobwebs. Likes it here but needs to find more than he’s shown over fences lately. KING ALEXANDER 2 KING maker. Suffered heat stress at Punchestown. Earlier novice form gives him a chance if returning to that level. KING OF KINGSFIELD 1 KING won’t reign. Useful at his best over shorter trips but recent form has been disappointing. Needs a big revival and still has to prove he wants this far. SPREAD BOSS TED 4 MAY Boss it. Progressive over fences and shaped well behind Funiculi Funicula on his handicap debut. A strong pace could play perfectly to his strengths and this trip may bring more improvement. SOLITARY MAN 2 SOLITARY on his own. Everything dropped right last time but he’s very much hit and miss. Arrives in form but a higher mark and stronger opposition ask tougher questions. BALLYGUNNER CASTLE 3 CASTLE keep. Still looking for a first chase win but has shown plenty of promise in good company. Looks fairly treated and could hit the frame. BARRY LYNDON 3 LYN the hunt. Career-best when winning a valuable Punchestown handicap in May. Higher mark makes things tougher but he stays well and arrives full of confidence. CONYERS HILL 3 HILL to climb. Runner-up on his last two handicap starts and continues to run well. Stays this trip and remains on a fair mark, though he’s likely to find a few too good. JALILA MORIVIERE (RESERVE) 3 MOR to come. Consistent mare who has twice gone close in competitive handicaps this season. Looks fairly treated and not out of it. BOSTON ROVER (RESERVE) 3 BOSS-ton. Progressive before a disappointing Munster National and shaped as though needing his comeback run. Should be fitter if getting a run. BALLYBAWN BELTER (RESERVE) 2 BELT up. Honest mare who has found life tougher from higher marks since before Christmas. Stays well but recent form suggests this is a stiff task. Templegate’s tip and 1-2-3 prediction WILL THE WISE looks a clever bet in the Galway Plate (6.40). He gets the nod after his excellent Aintree win and previous success here – and he still looks on the upgrade. Funiculi Funicula is the obvious danger after two impressive wins, while another Mullins runner in Spread Boss Ted makes plenty of each-way appeal if the strong pace sets it up for his late run. 1 Will The Wise2 Funiculi Funicula3 Spread Boss Ted *Tote. Bet £5, Get £20. New customers online only. Register and bet a min £/€5 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing within 7 days of registration to qualify. Receive £/€10 Tote Credit, £/€10 Free Sports Bet within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to bet slip. Voided/non-runner bets will not qualify; subsequent bet will be qualifying bet. 7-day expiry. 18+. One per customer. Selected customers only. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Full T&Cs apply. FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 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