Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Time for Tower to rise again back over fences
William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews all eight races on Trials Day from Cheltenham.
Cheltenham, Saturday
The opening novice chase (12:05pm) looks a very competitive race and there’s plenty in here with potential. The one I like is joint top-weight PUSH THE BUTTON. He won nicely on debut at Carlisle and then he ran into a potentially smart performer at Wetherby in Meetmebythesea, who has gone on to win again since. Last time out he stayed on from off the pace to be second to Steel Ally in Grade 2 company at Ascot, and had No Questions Asked, who went on to win a Grade 2 novice at Windsor, behind him. That’s good form and he’s been keeping good company. I’d say he can improve for the experience at Ascot and he might be the one to be with in an open race.
Next up is the Grade 2 Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (12:40pm). Maestro Conti was a good winner at Kempton last time but I don’t think he had to beat an awful lot that day. MINELLA YOGA was given a very canny ride, but it was also a good performance from him to get the better of Act Of Innocence at Newbury. He was getting lumps of weight from Act Of Innocence that day, but that rival is highly thought of, so it still goes down as a good performance. Minella Yoga looks progressive and could be the value against favourite Maestro Conti.
In the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (1:15pm) I must give JAGWAR another chance. I think he will improve for his reappearance run in the December Gold Cup. He’s a big horse, and his jumping looked a little rusty last month, so I think he should have benefited from that spin around Cheltenham. He’s a horse that I think can take a major step forward this season.
The first two home in December’s cross-country race might be the two to concentrate on again in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (1:50pm). FINAL ORDERS got the better of J’Arrive De L’Est last time and might be able to confirm the form. He’s been put up nine pounds in the handicap, but he was once rated 150 over fences and could still have scope from this mark. One of his great assets has always been his jumping, which he showed in December when he looked to relish the test of the banks course. Softer ground this time might be a bit of a concern, but he has won on soft before. You’d have to be impressed with him last time out, during a period when Gavin Cromwell’s horses weren’t flying, and there could be more to come from him now.
I’m going to take on Grey Dawning with SPILLANE’S TOWER in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase (2:25pm). He missed his engagement at Down Royal at the start of the season and I guess after that there weren’t many suitable targets for him, so he had two starts over hurdles. He’s only ever won once over hurdles, but he took a major step forward when going over fences and chasing is certainly his game. He gets six pounds off Grey Dawning here, and if he can reproduce his form when second to Fact To File in last season’s John Durkan, when he had Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow behind him, then he should be hard to beat.
The Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle (3:00pm) sees a big clash between SIR GINO and The New Lion. Sir Gino was a good winner of the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on his return to the track after a year off, beating Golden Ace by six lengths. He’s still unbeaten and is a high-class horse, so for me it’s hard to make a case against him. The New Lion fell on reappearance in the Fighting Fifth but Golden Ace was very much in a challenging position at the time, whereas Sir Gino comfortably brushed her aside at Kempton. I think Sir Gino would have to underperform on what he’s done in his career to date to get beaten here.
IMPOSE TOI has improved since stepping up to three miles this season and can land the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle (3:35pm). I think he’s value for further than the length-and-a-quarter margin of victory between him and Strong Leader at Ascot last time, as Nico [de Boinville] had the luxury of just letting him pop over the last hurdle before he pulled clear. I think he made it look harder work than it was, and for me Nico was just going through the motions. He could have more to offer, and returning against similar opposition, under similar conditions, he’s a rock-solid favourite.
The Grade 2 AIS Novices’ Hurdle (4:10pm) looks likely to be an informative race. Taurus Boy put in a good performance when winning at Aintree and Act Of Innocence probably didn’t loose much in defeat when giving a lot of weight away and narrowly being beaten at Newbury. HEADS UP finished second in the Champion Bumper last season, and that form is working out very well. He over-raced badly when beaten by No Drama This End at Cheltenham in November, and while I’m not saying he would’ve beaten him, had he raced more efficiently, I think he would have been a far bigger threat. Danny Mullins has come over for just this ride and he’s an interesting booking. Heads Up brings the highest level of form into this, judged on his bumper performances, and if Danny can settle him better this time, I think he will go very close.
