Horse Racing Tips: Barry Geraghty’s best bets from Cheltenham

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews Friday’s card from Cheltenham’s November Meeting.

Tom O’Brien

It’s so sad to hear the news about Tom. He was such a warm, kind and genuine person who was always great fun to be around. Tom was so popular, he was loved by everyone in the weighing room.

He obviously showed his great talent as a jockey, riding over 1,000 winners and having lots of Grade 1 and top-level success. I rode against him a lot, and in the latter years of his career, I worked closely with him.

It’s a devastating time for his wife Hayley, his sons Toby and Archie, and all his family back home in Ireland. Our thoughts are with them all.

Cheltenham, Friday

HIGH FIBRE has shown really good form since joining James Owen and he looks of interest in the opening Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (1:10pm). He was beaten under three lengths by Alphonse Le Grande in the Cesarewitch last time out and was an impressive winner of a valuable handicap hurdle in July when last seen over obstacles. He’s gone up eight pounds in the handicap for that win, but it seems that James has sparked some life back into him. On the back of that hurdles win at Market Rasen and some really smart Flat form, he looks like he could have a good bit in hand of his hurdles mark.

I’m going to give another chance to DERRYHASSEN PADDY in the three-mile-one-furlong Listed chase (1:45pm). I thought he was ridden like a horse that would improve for the run when finishing third at Cheltenham last month. He did slip a little turning into the straight in that race, but I don’t think it had any great bearing on the result. He obviously has good form around Cheltenham, and I think he should improve a lot for his last outing.

The Grade 2 Shloer Chase (2:20pm) looks JONBON’s to lose. He won this race in 2023 and 2024 and then was beaten 15 lengths by L’Eau Du Sud last year. However, he did have Matata over two lengths behind him and Edwardstone a good bit further back in fourth, so that was still reasonable form. I think a reproduction of that would confirm him as the one to beat. Mighty Bandit has some good two-mile form to his name, but he still has a good bit to find with Jonbon, as do the other two on ratings even when the weights are taken into account.

In the veterans’ handicap chase (2:55pm), I like GLENGOULY. He was only beaten eight lengths by Vanderpoel last time in a really competitive two-mile handicap chase at Ascot. That wasn’t in veterans’ company, which makes the form look all the better now he’s back against older horses. I think he should be suited by this step back up in trip too.

FEROCIMO probably didn’t have to beat an awful lot on his debut at Fontwell, but it was the manner in which he did it that was so impressive. He was a previous point-to-point winner and he is only four, so I can see him stepping up on that performance again in the Grade 2 two-mile-five-furlong novices’ hurdle (3:30pm). The Twiston-Davies’ won this race two years ago with Potters Charm, who runs in the same colours, and I think Ferocimo could be another nice prospect for the yard.

David Pipe’s WAY OF STARS might be the way to go in the closing two-mile handicap hurdle (4:00pm). He showed some good form last season, winning at Taunton and running well at Exeter, and he was only beaten a short-head on reappearance at Chepstow last month. For me, he was an unlucky loser there, as he just got caught at the finish when probably hitting the front sooner than ideal. With that run under his belt, it might just allow him to settle a bit better and delay his challenge. If that’s the case, I think he should go close to making up for his near miss last time.