Barry Geraghty: Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal Tips

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews Saturday’s racing and gives his best bets at Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal.

Ascot, Saturday

I keep coming back to MARTATOR in the two-mile-one-furlong handicap chase (2:00pm). He is three from five around Ascot, and was a good second to Calico in a big handicap chase last November, having won his first two starts at Ascot the previous season. He is a nine-year-old, but I think he still retains all his ability. Venetia [Williams] hasn’t had too many runners yet to get a bearing on her form, but they are generally ready first time. I thought it was a tricky enough race, but it’s hard to look past his course form. Good ground is a help to him, and while carrying 12 stone is not ideal, on that ground and on his favourite track, I think he has every chance of overcoming top weight.

The three-mile handicap chase (2:33pm) is a competitive race, and there isn’t a standout piece of form. I thought maybe last year’s winner, HENRY’S FRIEND, might be the one. He disappointed after this race last year, but he was very good here. He won this off a pound higher on his reappearance last season and a reproduction of that run would see him go close again. If you look further back, he’s got some good Ascot form, having won the Reynoldstown here a few years ago. This is his first run after a wind op, and I think early season could be the time to catch him.

Wetherby, Saturday

KATEIRA beat Golden Ace to win this Listed mares’ hurdle (1:45pm) 12 months ago and it’s hard to look past a repeat. The only concern is that she was beaten so far on her reappearance at Chepstow earlier in the month, but she clearly wasn’t strongly fancied that day as she was sent off 50/1, and you would imagine that she would improve for that outing. She has the strongest form, and isn’t giving masses of weight away, so, with the Skelton yard continuing in red-hot form, it’s hard to make a real case against her.

In the Grade 2 hurdle (2:18pm), I’m keen to take on Strong Leader with TAKE NO CHANCES. There was only a neck between them last year when Strong Leader gave Take No Chances seven pounds and won, but this year he has to give the mare 11 pounds. Strong Leader is a proper stayer but he doesn’t look like he is getting any faster with age and he just could be vulnerable giving that weight away.

At his best, PIC D’ORHY should win the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase (2:55pm). He was only just beaten by Djelo in this race last year and this renewal isn’t as strong. A reproduction of that on his first run for Dan Skelton would make him the one to beat. We saw it with Captain Teague that the Skeltons are very good at getting these horses back to their former level. Pic d’Orhy, to be fair to him, was highly consistent last season. He goes well fresh, enjoys good ground and a flat track like this suits him. The Real Whacker is a former winner of the race, but he has only won once since that success in 2024 and that was last time out at Perth, which isn’t the most inspiring form.

Down Royal, Saturday

There’s loads of good form on show in the Grade 1 Champion Chase (3:15pm). I’m sweet on ROMEO COOLIO, who won three Grade 1s as a novice. He obviously ran a shocker in the Brown Advisory, so you have to draw a line through that. He beat Kargese in Leopardstown over a trip of two-mile-one-furlong, which would have been far too short for him. She went on and won the Arkle, so that has to go down as a brilliant run. Down Royal on good or yielding ground is an easy three miles, so it’s the perfect place to test the water as regards getting the trip. He beat Koktail Divin by 14 lengths at this meeting last year on his debut over fences, so we know he goes well fresh and likes the track. He’s got the highest level of novice form, and he’s entitled to take a good step forward from that. I think he has enough potential to get the better of the opposition he faces here.

KOKTAIL DIVIN looks like he will be very hard to beat in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade 2 chase (3:50pm). He travelled really well but didn’t get home in the Brown Advisory. He was a good winner at Aintree and at Leopardstown last Christmas too. He’s only six and he’s a big horse, so he’s going to improve again. It’s interesting that Jack Kennedy rides Jacob’s Ladder and not Kala Conti. I think you could make a case for Kala Conti to trouble Koktail Divin, but I couldn’t say the same about Jacob’s Ladder.