Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: King holds the Answers in Scottish National
William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews Saturday’s racing from Ayr, including the Scottish Grand National and Scottish Champion Hurdle.
Ayr, Saturday
I thought Palacio looked a smart performer when winning last time at Newbury and he might be the one to beat in the opening two-mile handicap chase (1:10pm). However, LE NEZ CREUX is interesting on her first start for Gavin Cromwell, who won this race last year. She looks to have some good form from Auteuil, especially over two miles, and you have to take note of her as an unexposed five-year-old that is two from four over fences. She might offer a bit of value against those at the top of the market.
In the Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase (1:45pm), I was drawn to BLAKEY BOY at the bottom of the weights. He’s trained fairly locally and is likely to have been targeted at this. I thought he won impressively in a valuable handicap last time out at Kelso, and before that he was a winner over this course and distance in February. He strikes me as a six-year-old that could be progressing. He’s a big price, but it’s a competitive race, and he could be overpriced.
TELLHERTHENAME was a real eye-catcher in the William Hill County Hurdle at Cheltenham and would be my pick in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle (2:20pm). That was his first run since October and he was only beaten seven lengths, so there was lots to like about that effort. If you look further back in his form, he had a couple of nice wins at Huntingdon and was only beaten a nose by Jango Baie at Ascot two seasons ago. He was highly tried last season, when running in both the Fighting Fifth and William Hill Aintree Hurdle, and looks to be off a very workable mark here of 133. It’s a competitive race, but he looks to be the standout.
TWISTTHENIGHTAWAY might be the one to be with in the three-mile mares’ handicap hurdle (2:55pm). She was a cosy winner at a much lower level in Bangor last time and has gone up six pounds for that, but I think she was value for more than her one-length winning distance. She looks a big, impressive filly, who I think has plenty of scope to progress off her current mark over this trip.
In the Scottish Grand National (3:35pm), the one I like is KING OF ANSWERS. He ran a good race to finish second behind Holloway Queen in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, when it looked like he was ridden to the get the trip. He was doing his best work at the finish there, so I think he will relish the four miles here. He has form on soft and heavy ground, so conditions won’t be a worry to him. As a seven-year-old that is two from five over fences, I think he could be still open to plenty of improvement.
We tipped up WEST HILL VERDE at Ascot a couple of weeks ago when he was a non-runner and I’m going to stick with him in the two-mile-five-furlong novices’ handicap hurdle (4:15pm). Last time out, he finished third to Montemares in a competitive Grade 2 at Kelso and looked a bit unlucky that day as he made a bad mistake and pecked on landing four out, which meant he lost his position at a crucial stage. Had he not made that mistake, he would have been very competitive. A reproduction of that level of form would make him hard to beat here.
In the closing bumper (4:48pm), BRADY HARTSFIELD looks to bring some very strong form into this. He was only beaten three-quarters-of-a-length in a Listed bumper in Limerick last time out and the winner Coole Cafe had won the time before at Naas. On his first run at Punchestown, he was also narrowly beaten, but pulled over 30 lengths clear of the third, suggesting it was a good effort. He gets the four-year-old weight allowance here and, to me, looks the one to beat.
