Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Gemirande can go Bang again at Cheltenham

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty casts his eye over the New Year’s Day racing from Cheltenham.

Cheltenham, New Year’s Day

DIVA LUNA can win the maiden hurdle (12:55pm). She was a very good bumper mare last season – winning a Grade 2 at Aintree – and was a good second on her first start over hurdles at Lingfield. She was just a bit slow at the last hurdle there and it coast her at the finish. She’s going to improve for that run, and the experience of it as well as the step up in trip here, which should all stand her in good stead. To me, she looks a long way ahead of her opposition on form.

In the three-mile two-furlong chase (1:30pm), BROADWAY BOY looks a standout. He’s only a seven-year-old while a lot of his opposition are into or nearing the veteran stage. The form of his last run, when second in the Coral Gold Cup, is working out well, and he should continue on the up. He’s got great course form too, so is very hard to oppose.

The one I like in the Betfair Exchange Handicap (2:05pm) is GEMIRANDE. He was very impressive over this course and distance at Cheltenham’s Christmas meeting in what was arguably a stronger race than this. He’s gone up eight pounds for that, but I thought he was a cosy winner last time and his penalty shouldn’t be enough to stop him. Venetia [Williams] has had such a brilliant campaign to date and Gemirande could make it better still.

Henry Daly’s Strackan is taking a big step up in class in the three-mile handicap hurdle (2:40pm), but he’s been a very impressive winner on his last two starts. He should have a chance if continuing his improvement, but the one to beat is ONE BIG BANG on the back of his excellent second to Shoot First at Haydock last time. James Owen is flying along this season and Harry Cobden is a notable booking.

In the Relkeel (3:15pm), I’m going to go with SALVER over Golden Ace. I’m not fully convinced about Golden Ace getting this trip on the New Course, especially with the threat of rain before racing. Salver looked a stout stayer when keeping on to be third in the Triumph hurdle last season and again caught the eye when staying on into fourth in the Gerry Feilden on his reappearance. This is his first time stepping up in trip and I think he’s going to really benefit from it. His chances will be improved by any rain that falls too.

A two-mile ‘junior’ bumper (3:50pm) concludes the card. Ralph Beckett’s Gnomon is well fancied, as is Anthony Honeyball’s Marhaba Prince with Harry Skelton aboard. There could be more value to be had though with PRECIOUS METAL, who finished only a length behind Marhaba Prince at Wincanton on his debut. He travelled up strongly that day and looked pretty green, so there should be improvement to come from him. In what looks a wide-open race with not much form to go on, he could offer some decent each-way value against those towards the head of the market.