Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Fact can improve past Warrior in King George

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews a brilliant Boxing Day of racing, including the King George, Christmas Hurdle and Kauto Star Novices’ Chase from Kempton and other quality contests from Aintree, Wetherby and Leopardstown.

Kempton, Boxing Day

The Grade 1 action at Kempton starts with the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (1:20pm). I was impressed with SALVER when he won at Sandown last time. He rubbed a few of his fences early on, which is never a bad thing, but his jumping improved as the race went on, and I thought he jumped really well in the second half of the race. He showed a lot of scope and attitude and I loved the way he attacked the last fence, gave it air and then galloped on well up the hill. He looked at home over three miles there. Having reached a good level over hurdles, he looks to me like a horse that can take his form to a new level over fences.

SIR GINO might be returning from a long absence, but he is very hard to oppose in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle (1:55pm). He was a really classy juvenile, winning well on Trials Day at Cheltenham and also at Aintree after missing the Cheltenham Festival. He was then impressive in last year’s Fighting Fifth although it wasn’t the strongest of renewals. While he has had an interrupted time of it though injury, he still has so much potential. He is going down the Champion Hurdle route and he looks like he has all the credentials, as he has so much pace and jumps really well. He comes from the right yard as regards two milers too, so it’s hard to look past him. Of the opposition, I thought Celtic Dino was of interest stepping back down in trip and he might offer a bit of value to chase the favourite home.

This year’s King George (2:30pm) is going to be a real spectacle, and it’s a reflection on the strength of the race that last year’s winner Banbridge is such a big price in the market. I think the John Durkan form where Gaelic Warrior narrowly got the better of Fact To File is probably the key to the race. Gaelic Warrior has won an Arkle, but to me he is best going right-handed and he showed that at Punchestown, so Kempton should be ideal for him. FACT TO FILE came to beat him in the John Durkan, and managed to head him, but I felt fitness was the thing that beat him on the day. Gaelic Warrior is a very enthusiastic horse, so he would be most likely to put everything into his home work, where as Fact To File is a more laidback character. He wouldn’t be as naturally hard on himself, so I wouldn’t say he would be as fit first time as Gaelic Warrior. I think Fact To File will improve for that run at Punchestown, and I would very much be in his camp. I have healthy respect for Jango Baie, who kept going really well when winning the Arkle last season. He was beaten by Impaire Et Passe at Aintree though and while he looked very good when winning at Ascot on his return, he still needs to improve to win this. The Jukebox Man is another lovely horse, but he ran eight seconds slower when winning the Kauto Star last year to the time they clocked in the King George, so that suggests he needs to find improvement in a better renewal this year.

Aintree, Boxing Day

Mydaddypaddy has been very impressive in his starts to date and heads the market for the Grade 1 William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle (1:05pm). He has caught the imagination of many but he is yet to compete at Graded level, so a good deal of his price looks to be down to reputation. I think IDAHO SUN could offer some value against him. Both horses have had two hurdle wins against weaker opposition, but Idaho Sun was only beaten just over six lengths in last season’s Champion Bumper, and to me it looked like the penny was only beginning to drop with him there. I think he will be better when racing over further, but you’d have to be taken with his performances so far, and he has been tested at a higher level to date than the favourite.

INDEEVAR BLEU could be the one in the William Hill Daily Bet Boosts Handicap Hurdle (1:40pm). He was ridden and shaped like a horse that was going to improve for the run when finishing second in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury last time out. He beat a good rival into third in Indemnity there, who had finished second to Greatwood winner Alexei before that, so the form does stack up.

Wetherby, Boxing Day

Konfusion went up 10 pounds for winning by 15 lengths last time out in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle. He could be hard to beat in the William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (1:35pm), but I thought KNAPPERS HILL ran a good race at Haydock last time, when finishing eight lengths behind The Jukebox Man. That was his first run in two years and it was a good effort to get so close to The Jukebox Man and Iroko, who franked that form last weekend. If the bounce factor doesn’t catch him, he could well outrun his odds here, especially as the handicapper looks to be giving him a chance. The favourite will be a short enough price, and there could be some value in Knappers Hill.

Leopardstown, Boxing Day

ROMEO COOLIO jumped brilliantly when impressively winning the Drinmore in Fairyhouse last time and it will be hard to stop him adding the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase (2:20pm) to his CV. While he did finish seven lengths behind Salvador Mundi in Aintree last season, I don’t think he was at his best at that stage of the season, having beaten the same rival by 11 lengths at Cheltenham the time before. July Flower put in a good performance when beating Be Aware at Cheltenham and I thought she might be the one to chase Romeo Coolio home.