Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: The Wallpark to take his rivals for a Long Walk

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

Ascot, Saturday

SCARFACE (1:15pm) gave away a good bit of ground at the start when finishing second to Le Patron at Newbury last time, when he also had Galop De Chasse behind him in third. I’m not saying he would have beaten the winner, but he definitely didn’t help his chances as he dived to the left when the tape was pulled and gave away five or six lengths. It’s a very open race, but he looks to me as though he still has a bit more to offer.

The Graduation Chase (1:50pm) is a really good race despite only having four runners. I’m an IROKO fan. I thought he ran a nice race on his return at Haydock, when just finishing behind Trelawne. Jonjo [O’Neill Jr] looked as though he wanted to ride him patiently, and nursed him into the race, as though he was a horse that was going to improve a lot for the outing. Despite that, he was only beaten half-a-length by a smart rival. I would imagine there’s a good bit more improvement to come from Iroko and he’s a horse that has always promised that over fences.

It’s great to see Daryl Jacob back in the saddle aboard James Du Berlais, and any four of these horses could win this, but for me Iroko is the one with the most potential going forward.

Strong Leader sets the standard in the Long Walk (2:25pm) after signing off with a good win at Aintree last season and then winning on his return. I don’t think he’s that far clear of his opposition though and this is a much stronger race than the one he won last time at Newbury. I like THE WALLPARK, who has progressed really well through handicaps. He looked a lot more professional when winning last time at Cheltenham than he did on his previous two wins in Galway, and I’d say he’s a horse that is on a real upward curve. The form of his Cheltenham win is working out too, with the horse that he beat finishing as runner-up twice since. It’s interesting the JP McManus has snapped him up after his win last time and I think he could be a horse that puts himself in contention for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The Silver Cup (3:00pm) is a tricky race and there are loads you could make cases for. I’ll take a chance though with the French raider HELOY DELABARRIERE. He’s trained by a very shrewd operator in Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, who has only had around 10 runners in England, and I actually rode his last English winner about 20 years ago on a horse called Ambobo. When I saw the name, I thought I had to check it out. Heloy Delabarriere was second in a Grade 1 hurdle at Auteuil last time and was also second over two-and-a-half miles before that, which suggests he should have enough pace on the anticipated better ground over three miles at Ascot. He’s got good form in the book over hurdles, but has experience over fences from last season too. He’s a Grade 1 performer and is running here off a mark of 139, so I think he’s of real interest in what looks an open race.

Similar comments apply to the finale, the two-mile handicap hurdle (3:35pm). Paul Nicholls Kabral Du Mathan is the biggest unknown, he’s three from three over hurdles and fits into the ‘could be anything’ category. He is only a four-year-old though and now steps up into a very competitive handicap. Be Aware ran very well at Cheltenham, and Dysart Enos likewise, but to me she shaped as though she might benefit from going up in trip. FAVOUR AND FORTUNE was a good winner of the Scottish Champion Hurdle when we last saw him, which represents excellent form. He has run twice on good ground and has won on both occasions, so I don’t think he benefited from soft and heavy ground last season. I think there’s potential for better from him on ground that is likely to be only good-to-soft. He goes well fresh and Alan King holds him in high regard.

Haydock, Saturday

I thought last year’s winner, FAMOUS BRIDGE, would be tough to beat in the Tommy Whittle (2:05pm). He progressed from that win to finish fourth in the Ultima at the Festival, and his form looks the best on offer. He ran a nice race on reappearance when second at Kelso and should improve for that run here. I think some of the others like Easy Street have form at a lower level and will have to step up on that to win. Famous Bridge improved to win this on his second start last season and can do so again.