Emperor to take usual route

Popular veteran Welsh Emperor will bid to relive his glory days when he lines up in the CGA Hungerford Stakes for the fourth time on Saturday week.The 10-year-old won the Group Two event in 2006 before being edged out by subsequent Group One winner Red Evie 12 months later, going down by a short head. He finished sixth behind Paco Boy last season but showed he still retains his competitive edge when returning to the winner's enclosure at Haydock last time out."He will be going his traditional route in the Hungerford again, but he's probably not quite as good as he was. There's not a lot for him but it was great to see him win again at Haydock last time," Tate said.Although Welsh Emperor, who has 70 starts to his name, is reaching the twilight of his career, Tate has no immediate plans to bow out the Emperor Jones gelding."He wouldn't like retirement, he's a horse that thrives in the yard, but he will have to face it sometime!" he added.Tate's smart South African recruit Kings Gambit will put his staying credentials to the test at Newbury. The five-year-old has been pencilled in the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes following his creditable third at York on his British bow.Twice a Group One winner in his native country over nine and 12 furlongs, Kings Gambit was staying on to finish a length and three-quarters behind Kirklees over a mile and a quarter. Tate is planning a step up in trip for the Newbury Group Three though, with a possible trip to Ireland in the offing if all goes well."He ran an excellent race at York and we're going to go to the Geoffrey Freer with him next," Tate said."He's an exciting horse and we want to see if he will stay the mile and five furlongs at Newbury. If he does, we may look to supplementing him for the Irish St Leger but we will see."I'm sure he needs a mile and a half but whether he will stay the extra furlong, I don't know yet. I was pleased with him at York as the trip was too short for him really but we needed to get him started somewhere."