Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Kilbeg can be crowned King at Ascot

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks over the best of Saturday’s racing from Ascot, Haydock, Wincanton and Gowran Park.

Ascot, Saturday

Apple Away brings some great form into the Reynoldstown (1:50pm), but I think she needs a real test. She looked very good on heavy ground at Leicester, so I’m not fully convinced she has the pace to contend with KILBEG KING. He’s definitely a horse on the up and while I questioned his proximity to the front two at Kempton last time, I’d say I underrated him. He won a competitive three-mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown last year, but this was his first run over three miles over fences, and I think he stepped forward massively from what he had done before.

Plenty hold chances in the Swinley Handicap (3:00pm), where THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE has the best form, having finished second to Broadway Boy last time out in Cheltenham. He had Protektorat behind him in third that day, so it’s clearly brilliant form. He’s carrying top-weight, but is only two pounds higher for his last run and he’d be the one for me.

L’HOMME PRESSE is the one to beat in the Ascot Chase (3:36pm). He looked very good on his return at Lingfield, when getting the better of a race fit Protektorat. He’s fine going right-handed, as he’s won at Ascot before as well as the Scilly Isles at Sandown, and he’ll handle most ground. Pic D’Orhy ran well behind Banbridge last time, but he needs to show a higher standard of form to beat L’Homme Presse. Going right-handed is a bit of a question for Ahoy Senor. He disappointed in the King George last season and while you could make a case for him at the trip, I just think this is the wrong direction for him.

Haydock, Saturday

The Rendlesham (2:40pm) is a competitive race, but Butch and BOTOX HAS standout to me. While the former looks a horse on the up, I think Botox Has might have the edge. He won a competitive handicap over this course and distance last season and wasn’t beaten far in the Cleeve at Cheltenham last time. He was only two lengths behind Dashel Drasher there, and if he was in here then he’d be favourite. Red Risk is another that holds a chance, but has a bit to find to reverse form with Botox Has on their Wetherby run back in November.

IRON BRIDGE looks to need to go up in the weights if he’s to get a run in the Grand National, so he would be of strong interest in the Grand National Trial at Haydock (3:15pm). He was no match for Nassalam in the Welsh National, but he had the rest well covered in testing conditions. He looks a seven-year-old on the up and Jonjo [O’Neill] does brilliantly with these types of horses.

The other I liked at an each way price was Snipe. He’s another seven-year-old with potential and was a good winner at Aintree on soft ground back in December. Last time he was second at Doncaster on good ground, when staying on again at the finish, so I think he should enjoy this emphasis on stamina.

Wincanton, Saturday

Colonel Mustard comes out best on ratings in the Kingwell Hurdle (2:05pm) but he has a habit of finding one too good for him. Rubaud was well beaten behind Lossiemouth last time and looks a horse that’s better suited to good ground. The one I like is NEMEAN LION, who finished second in the Lanzarote to what looked a really well-handicap horse. His jumping probably didn’t help him when fifth in the Greatwood at Cheltenham in November, though that was still a good effort. I think he’s still improving and he shouldn’t have an issue with the soft ground.  

Gowran, Saturday

SAINT SAM (3:27pm) does really well in this level of race. He took a heavy fall in Listowel when last seen back in September, and he’s been given plenty of time to get over that. He’s got a good record when fresh, so I’d say he’s hard to oppose. You could really make a case for Riviere D’etel on recent form, but she had such a tough race just last week in Naas, which isn’t ideal.