Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Bioluminescence can light up Irish National

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks over the best of the racing on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday from Fairyhouse and Plumpton.

Fairyhouse, Sunday

The WillowWarm Gold Cup (2:22pm) is one of two Grade 1s on Easter Sunday. CHAMP KIELY put in a good performance to win at Navan over two miles on heavy ground last time. He was a Grade 1 novice hurdle winner over two-and-a-half miles when landing the Lawlor’s of Naas two seasons ago. While he was a little bit disappointing behind Ballyburn on his second chase start, he has put in two good performances from his three chase starts this season. He’s also the choice of Paul Townend.

The Big Westerner is favourite for the Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle (4:10pm) and she is probably best equipped to deal with the conditions, with the ground being soft-to-heavy. Her best form is over further though. To me, Sixandahalf would have the weakest form in this ground. Sixandahalf ran a great race to finish second in the Mares’ Novice at Cheltenham and a lot of people think the best horse didn’t win, but I’m not so sure. I thought AIR OF ENTITLEMENT progressed massively and put in a really strong performance to win under a brilliant ride from Rachael Blackmore. Her pedigree suggests she should cope with the ground. She brings the highest level of form into the race and looks value against Sixandahalf and The Big Westerner at the prices too.

Plumpton, Sunday

The William Hill County Hurdle form is well represented in the Sussex Champion Handicap Hurdle (4:05pm), with Absurde, Our Champ, Spirit d’Aunou and Daddy Long Legs all having run in that race at Cheltenham. OUR CHAMP won this race impressively last season and was only just over a length behind Absurde in the County. Plumpton is a very different track to Cheltenham, it’s much faster especially when the ground is good, and course form around here does count for a lot. This track plays to Our Champ’s strengths and I can see him reversing form with Absurde and Spirit d’Aunou.

Fairyhouse, Monday

COME WALK WITH ME (3:15pm) has shown some really good form in three maidens. He was second to Honesty Policy at Navan two starts ago and then second to Redemption Day at Naas last time. This is his first run in a handicap and being trained locally by Eddie Cawley this race is likely to have been a target for some time. He looks like he will enjoy the step up in trip as well.

GALA MARCEAU (3:50pm) hadn’t been asked any questions when she came down three out in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. She was second to Lossiemouth in the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last season, and that looks the highest level of form in this race. We haven’t seen much of her recently, but a reproduction of her best would make her the one to beat.

The form of HEART WOOD’s second to Fact To File in the Ryanair is by some way the best form in the line-up for the Grade 2 Jack McInerney Memorial Fairyhouse Chase (4:20pm). He gets in here without a penalty, meaning he gets weight from many of his rivals. He is ultra consistent as he showed again at Cheltenham and he sets the standard here.

With all the rain that’s fallen and the ground currently soft-to-heavy, the Irish Grand National (5:00pm) is going to take a bit of getting. Conditions are going to be ideal for BIOLUMINESCENCE though, as she’s a winner in testing conditions over hurdles and fences. This will be her first start in a handicap after only three starts over fences, but some of her form looks strong. She finished only three lengths behind Dancing City at Naas in January when giving the winner weight, so that was a brilliant run. Before that she had won a Grade 2 on her first start over fences, so she has the potential to be a really exciting mare.

I also like the chances of DUNBOYNE at a huge each-way price. He’s had two runs for Ian Donoghue since leaving Gordon Elliott, winning a good handicap hurdle in Navan on heavy ground over two-and-a-half miles and then he won the Ulster National over three-and-a-half miles on good ground. He’s at his best on heavy ground, so conditions at Fairyhouse will suit him. Some of his past form is very good – he was only beaten a short-head in the Thyestes two years ago – and he looks to be back to that kind of form. He’s not badly handicapped too, only a couple of pounds higher than that Thyestes run, so I think he’s a really interesting horse here.

Plumpton, Monday

JPR ONE could be the one in the Sussex Champion Handicap Chase (2:35pm). He was still in contention when making a bad mistake at the second last in the Grand Annual. The ground was good-to-soft in Cheltenham but he’s better on better ground and the last time he raced on good ground he won the Haldon Gold Cup. He’s only six pounds higher than when he won at Exeter, and the ground is key to him, so I think these conditions and the sharp track should see a big run from him.