Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Warrior can strike a blow for Mullins at Sandown

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews the Jumps season finale from Sandown which sees the conclusion of a nail-biting Trainers’ Championship battle between Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins.

Sandown, Saturday

Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins don’t have any runners in the opening Novices’ Championship Final (1:20pm) but it looks a strong race with plenty of improving types. There doesn’t look to be too much between Serious Challenge, John Barbour and Sorceleur on the form of their recent Southwell run, but the one I like at a bigger price is GIVE IT TO ME OJ. He was a good fourth at Aintree behind the well-backed and fancied Murcia, and he was only two-and-a-half lengths behind the Fred Winter winner, Puturhandstogether, in third. He has gone on to win since then at Huntingdon and he’s a horse that has a lot of racing and hurdling experience for a four-year-old.

RISKINTHEGROUND could land a first blow on the day for the Skeltons in the novices’ handicap chase (1:50pm). He put in a good performance to win at Ayr and then last time out backed that up when beating O’Moore Park in the Silver Trophy at Cheltenham. I don’t think he has had to fully exert himself in recording his last two wins. He seems to be thriving on the better spring ground and has only been raised two pounds for winning at Cheltenham last time, so I’m happy to side with him again.

GAELIC WARRIOR was well fancied when stepping up in trip at Aintree and that looked to bring him back to the sort of form he showed last season. A reproduction of that run will make him very hard to beat in the Oaksey Chase (2:25pm). He’s going back right-handed here too, which was always thought to be more suitable for him, so that’s an added positive.

There doesn’t look much to separate KITZBUHEL and Lucky Place in the Select Hurdle (3:00pm). Both horses look like they are better suited to two-and-a-half rather than three miles. On a line through their runs against Colonel Mustard from earlier in the season, Willie’s runner might just be the one to be on. He beat Colonel Mustard comfortably by over three lengths at Punchestown in early December, while Lucky Place had just over a length between him and the same rival when winning at Ascot a few weeks prior to that. That form line just looks to tip the balance in favour of Kitzbuhel.

I think the Celebration Chase (3:35pm) could be another JONBON lap of honour. He is going for a hattrick in the race and he is five from five over fences at Sandown. He was unlucky at Cheltenham, when not getting a straightforward start and making a bad mistake down the back straight, but he bounced back at Aintree. At a track he loves, he’ll have to seriously underperform on all known form if he’s going to be beaten here. Mark Walsh was at Seven Barrows during the week to school Jonbon and like Nico [de Boinville] he will get on brilliantly with him.

Willie is throwing everything at the bet365 Gold Cup (4:10pm) with 10 of the 20-strong field. It’s interesting that Paul [Townend] has chosen to ride High Class Hero here, but for me, on form, GRANGECLARE WEST is the one to be with. He was third in the Grand National and would have been closer were it not for a mistake at the last fence. A reproduction of that, or his second to Galopin Des Champs at the Dublin Racing Festival, when he had Fact To File and Inothewayurthinkin both behind him, would make him a Gold Cup horse in a handicap. The Skelton’s run one here in Hoe Joly Smoke who is some way out of the handicap, so he looks like he could have an uphill task.

In the finale (4:45pm), I’m going to go with Willie again. Paul Townend chose BUNTING over Jimmy Du Seuil at Cheltenham when he ran too free. He was then only beaten four lengths in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr after having been hampered by a faller early on and being dropped in at the rear of the field. Ayr isn’t an easy place to come from off the pace, especially as that race wasn’t run at a very high tempo, so there was plenty of merit in that effort and I can see why Paul has chosen him here.