Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Chance Knappers at Newbury
William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews Saturday’s racing from Newbury, Kelso and Navan.
Newbury, Saturday
I’ve been giving KNAPPERS HILL a chance all season and I’m going to give him another in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (2:25pm). He pulled up last time out at Warwick but that was on heavy ground that wouldn’t have suited him. Before that he finished third behind Konfusion in the William Hill Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby and on his reappearance this season he was only beaten eight lengths by The Jukebox Man at Haydock. Both of those runs represent very strong form and I think the drying ground conditions at Newbury are going to suit him well. Harry Cobden, who has won on him before, takes the mount so that is another positive.
The Grade 2 mares’ novices’ hurdle (3:00pm) is a very open and competitive race. I thought Chester Williams’ INDANNYA had a chance here. She got lost on heavy ground behind Kingston Queen at Warwick two starts ago but bounced back to win well at Wincanton on good-to-soft ground last time out. She has shown good form on her three other starts, winning once and placing twice. She’s only a five-year-old and I think she could prove to be progressive. Chester Williams is having a good time of it lately too.
There are plenty of unknown quantities in the Hundred Grand Bumper (3:35pm), with many runners having their first starts. Of the form horses, I thought DIAMOND STREET was very impressive on his debut at Doncaster, putting in a really good performance to win by 10 lengths. Harry Skelton looks to have picked him over the yard’s other runner, who is also prominent in the betting.
Kelso, Saturday
There’s plenty of competitive action at Kelso too, beginning with the Listed Beeswing Mares’ Hurdle (1:00pm). WORLD OF FORTUNES travels over from Ireland and brings some good form into this race. She was only beaten three-quarters-of-a-length last time in Punchestown and prior to that ran well in Doncaster. She has a lot of experience over hurdles, as a winner of five races, and is generally a consistent sort, so I can see her running another good race here.
KHRISMA is an interesting runner in the Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (2:10pm), with Nico [de Boinville] travelling up to ride her. She was a good winner last time, beating Charisma Cat at Market Rasen, and only went down by a short-head the time before that. It looks as though she has potential to build on that and she could be better than her opening mark.
In the three-mile-two-furlong chase (3:13pm), I’ll side with FORTUNATE MAN. He had some good early season form, winning well at Aintree and then finishing third at Sandown, and that looks the best on offer here. He ran well but probably didn’t quite stay the extreme distance in the Eider Chase last time and should be happier back at this trip. Jonjo and AJ O’Neill are flying at the moment too.
Navan, Saturday
There’s a good three-mile Listed chase (4:17pm) at Navan where BUILT BY BALLYMORE is of interest. He looked destined to win last time out in Naas but unseated at the last and before that was a good third in a Listed race in Punchestown when wearing first-time blinkers. He seems to have found his form in blinkers and the trip and conditions here should be ideal for him. A reproduction of his run last time should make him the one to beat.
