Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Skyjack’s experience key in Quest for Graded success

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks over Cheltenham’s two-day Christmas Meeting, picking out his best bets.

Cheltenham, Friday

I was keen on KING TURGEON in last weekend’s Becher Chase, and while that failed to beat the weather, he has a chance to gain compensation here in the three-mile-two-furlong handicap chase (1:50pm). He was a good winner over this trip at Chepstow on his reappearance and then followed up in the Sefton at Aintree. That last run was an impressive performance and he’s gone up eight pounds for it, meaning he’s 15 pounds higher than when starting the season. However, he looks like he’s better over this kind of trip, and this six-year-old is improving rapidly, so he could well take another step up the ladder here.

SHAKEM UP’ARRY looks the play in the Veterans’ Series Chase (2:25pm). He won at the Festival in the spring and won on New Year’s Day over this course and distance too. That’s the strongest form in this race to my eyes. He has a reasonable record when fresh too, as he won first time out two seasons ago. You can make a case for a lot of these in here, but his recent Cheltenham Festival form stands out in this line up.

French raider, ICEO MADRIK, sneaks into the Cross Country Handicap (3:00pm) at the bottom of the weights and has to be of interest. He was with David Pipe for a while and he looked to struggle then but he seems to have been rejuvenated by his return to France. He’s a horse with cross country experience and he could be well-handicapped. The stable know what it takes to win races like this, as they showed with Easysland in this contest in 2019, so he has to be respected making the trip over for this.

We put DOYEN QUEST up at Haydock recently when he didn’t run after the ground turned too testing, but he should take a bit of beating if taking his chance this time in the three-mile handicap hurdle (3:35pm). Harry Skelton rode him with so much confidence when he won last time at Cheltenham, it was as if he had a stone in hand. He’s gone up 10 pounds for that, but to sit as far off the pace as he did and come through and win as easily as he did, I’d say he’s a horse that has a lot more to offer.

Cheltenham, Saturday

The December Gold Cup (1:50pm) is a mightily competitive race and so many of the form lines tie in with each other that if you ran it five times, you’d probably get five different winners. I came down on GA LAW who has run two good races this season, most recently when finishing a staying-on second to Il Ridoto in the big two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at the November Meeting. I think he could benefit from the switch to the New Course here, as there’s more emphasis on stamina. He won around this course on Trials Day last year, so we know it’s a course he likes, and he should love the ground, so I can see him going well.

It’s hard to get away from LIBBERTY HUNTER (2:25pm) on his form from last season. Harry Cobden takes the ride, having partnered him to second in the Grand Annual, when only just over two lengths behind Unexpected Party, and then when third to Found A Fifty in Grade 1 company at Aintree. They are both strong bits of form and he’s got an excellent record over fences, winning twice and placing twice from five starts.

SKYJACK HIJACK is favourite for the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3:00pm) but he offers some good value all the same. He’s got plenty of experience over hurdles already and has built up some real momentum, winning his last six races. He’s only carrying a three-pound penalty for all those successes and handicapping experience now back in a novice race is invaluable – we saw it a few weeks ago in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse. For him to have that experience over possible main danger Clondaw General, who is one from one in a novice hurdle and a point-to-point, looks notable. Skyjack Hijack will be so streetwise compared to his opposition – his jumping was electric at Newcastle last time – and if he sets off in front, the others might not be able to get to him.

JOYEUSE (3:35pm) was a good third on her reappearance after 10 months off the track in what was a competitive race at Ascot last month. She looked like she would improve for that run and this step up in trip looks sure to suit her. It’s possible she could be just too well-handicapped for her opposition. One at more of an each-way price though could be WODHOOH. She’s been off nearly a year, but she is five from five over hurdles and got the better of Nurburgring on her first outing last season. She did keep winning and while she’s carrying more weight than a few of these, I can see her going well on reappearance.