Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Turgeon can be crowned Sefton King again

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks ahead to this weekend’s racing from Wincanton, Aintree and Naas.

It will be exciting to see the National fences back in action for the first time this season at Aintree. On that note, it was great to hear of the new £500,000 ‘William Hill Half a Mill’ bonus series for horses being aimed at the Grand National this season, which I’m sure will add to the competition of the traditional National trials and heighten the expectation when April rolls round.

Bet on horse racing at William Hill

Wincanton, Saturday

Jubilee Alpha is probably the one to beat in the Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (1:45pm) but there could be some value to be had by opposing her with SWEET CARYLINE. She kept on well to win over two miles at Chepstow on her return and steps back up in trip here. If she comes on for her last run, she could go well again.

In the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices’ Chase (2:23pm), Blueking d’Oroux is the obvious one. However, it was a little disappointing he was beaten at Newton Abbot on his return to action and while he’s top-rated here, he needs to improve on that debut over fences. COBRA QUEEN has really taken a step forward since going chasing, as often Henry de Bromhead’s horses can do. She put in a really good performance in Roscommon in a mares’ handicap chase last time and looks progressive. After four runs over fences, and with her also having handicap experience, that could count for a lot, especially on a sharp track like Wincanton.

RUBAUD can make it a hat-trick of wins in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle (2:55pm). Everything suits him – the track and the ground – and this has been a stronger race in the past. He’ll have to seriously underperform not to win this.

THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE was second in the Badger Beers Handicap Chase (3:30pm) two years ago in what looked a stronger renewal. That was his first run after a wind-op and this run too sees him return from another wind-op. He disappointed when pulled-up on his last two starts last season, but before that had some really good form behind Victtorino at Ascot at Christmas and in February. That to me is the strongest form in the race.

Aintree, Saturday

The one I like in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (12:55pm) is KYNTARA, who was second to Monmiral in the Pertemps Final at the Festival in 2024. He didn’t cut the mustard in three runs over fences last season, but he’s interesting reverting back to hurdles now. Off the same mark as when second to Monmiral, if he showed anything like that form it should make him hard to beat here.

KING TURGEON put in a really smart performance to win last year’s William Hill Grand Sefton (2:40pm), jumping brilliantly over the National fences, especially as he was only a six-year-old at the time. He then was a good winner at Cheltenham in December, but I felt that Wincanton and Musselburgh were two tracks that didn’t suit him on his next two starts as they were just too sharp for him. I don’t think we saw the best of him after winning at Cheltenham in December, so to me he is still a horse that is relatively unexposed. Two miles and five furlongs at Aintree is also on the sharp side for him, but he jumps so well, and I think he can repeat last year’s win.

Naas, Sunday

The Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase (3:02pm) on Sunday is an interesting contest. We haven’t seen much of INTHEPOCKET in recent years. He finished six lengths behind Marine Nationale in the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and then went on to win a Grade 1 at Aintree. He’s had three goes over fences, putting in a big performance at Wexford when beating Farren Glory in October last year. He looks the most natural two miler in the field and could be the class act here getting weight from his rivals.