Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Broadway Boy could go to the top

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty runs his eye over Saturday’s racing from Cheltenham and picks out his best bets.

Cheltenham, Saturday

Paul Nicholls wouldn’t be introducing his French recruit KABRAL DU MATHAN in the opening juvenile contest (12:05pm) unless he thought he was up to standard. I’ve looked at his form and to be honest, I can’t see anything exciting, but I’m happy to take it in trust that Paul thinks he is of this level. Dan Skelton’s Kourosh was very impressive when winning at Wetherby first time up. He didn’t have to beat an awful lot, but he couldn’t have done it any easier. To me they’re the two with most potential here.

Both WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT’s (12:40pm) chase runs to date have been very respectable and he brings good course form as well. He was well beaten by Broadway Boy at Cheltenham last time, but his stablemate could turn out to be a very smart performer, so there’s no disgrace in that. He had decent horses in Good Risk At All and Mister Coffey behind him that day and to me that looks like the strongest level of form in here.

The market probably has it about right with Calico and IN EXCELSIS DEO at the head of the betting (1:15pm). Calico ran really well last time when just caught by Triple Trade late on. I think the better the ground, the better it will be for him and with the forecast being dry, the going is likely to improve. He obviously brings a good level of form from last season too, having given Jonbon a fright at Warwick and winning at Doncaster. In Excelsis Deo also has form that ties in with Triple Trade, having finished only half a length behind him at Cheltenham in October, so that’s how closely he and Calico are matched. They are hard to split, but In Excelsis Deo has form in France on very soft ground and he’s getting a good bit of weight from Calico, who to my eye didn’t seem to get home brilliantly at Cheltenham last time.

The December Gold Cup (1:50pm) is very competitive. It’s interesting that Mark Walsh rides SO SCOTTISH, who obviously has some good form to his name from last season when second to Boothill at Ascot, but he has been slightly disappointing since then. You have to forgive his last few efforts, but he definitely has potential and would just about be my selection. Fakir D’oudairies wouldn’t be without a chance either as this is his first time stepping into handicap company, having done all his recent racing in graded company. Il Ridoto was my original fancy, but it’s a concern that Harry Cobden has chosen to ride Monmiral instead. I’m also not fully sold on Thunder Rock – he beat Mahler Mission over 2m4f at Carlisle, but that horse needs more of a trip, so I don’t think it would have taken the biggest performance from Thunder Rock to win that day.

BROADWAY BOY (2:25pm) went up nine pounds for his impressive win at Cheltenham last time, but I think this is a horse that could go to the top. It was a brilliant performance from him last time, and he jumped really well with the exception of a few, but I think that was probably just down to his inexperience and having to make the running. He’s a horse I like a lot and I’m sure he’ll find himself in graded company in the spring, so he’s a strong selection here.

The one I like in the Grade 2 three-mile novices’ hurdle (3:00pm) is the Dan Skelton runner ILLICO DE COTTE. He was only beaten a nose by Bucksy Des Espeires on his debut at Lingfield, and that horse came out and ran second to Spirit D’Aunou in Sandown last weekend. The pair pulled well clear of the third at Lingfield and based on that form, I’d say he’s a horse with a good deal of potential.

In the finale, the mares’ handicap hurdle (3:35pm), THEATRE GLORY brings a good level of form after finishing third in the Ascot Hurdle last time. She looked as though she may come on for that run and I think she definitely sets the standard. Nurse Susan was fourth in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the Festival in 2022 and reappeared after a long absence over fences at Exeter last month. She was actually sent off favourite for that, but the Skelton horses probably weren’t quite firing at the time, so she could be of interest now with that run behind her.