Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: It’s a Fact I’m excited by File’s potential

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty puts forward his five horses to follow for the jumps season as well as taking a look at the major races on at Ascot’s Champions Day card.

It’s impossible to look forward to the new season without also looking forward to seeing Constitution Hill. To win the Champion Hurdle as he did last season was amazing, but judging by feedback from Seven Barrows, he has improved physically once again. The scary thing is that at his age, there’s still potential for improvement and I hope he’s going to be every bit as exciting this season as he was last.

Five to follow this season

El Fabiolo

He was obviously very impressive all through last season, winning at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown. It was such a strong race he won at the Dublin Racing Festival and then what he did to beat Jonbon in the Arkle was so impressive. It was nice to have his Arkle form franked by Jonbon in winning the Celebration Chase at the end of last season, as it tied the Arkle form in nicely with seasoned campaigners, like Greaneteen and Captain Guinness.

I’d expect to see improvement in his jumping this season, as he is still only six, rising seven. He’s a lovely age for a horse to still have the possibility of improvement to come. With Energumene now out of the picture, the two-mile chase division looks more open too.

Galopin Des Champs

I know he’s an obvious one, but he did win last year’s Gold Cup as a seven-year-old. He got beaten in Punchestown next time and that just goes to show how the extended 3m2f around Cheltenham can leave its mark on a horse.

I’d forgive him that defeat. Up until Punchestown, his form had been so impressive. At Cheltenham the concern was whether he would settle and conserve enough energy, but with age he should learn to relax better and as a result finish his races stronger. I think there’s more improvement to come this season and I think he can build on what he did in the Gold Cup.

Facile Vega

The Willie Mullins team had a lot of faith in him last season. He ran a great race in the Supreme and while he was beaten fair and square, I don’t think he did his chances any good by getting a little bit too competitive early on.

His jumping wasn’t as good as you might like last season, but Paul Townend said he had no respect for his hurdles. Often with horses like that, they need a fence in order to give their obstacles respect. He’s a horse with lot of scope and a high level of ability. I’ve no doubt that he’ll rub up against a fence or two early on in his career, but once he gains the respect, that he didn’t show his hurdles, I think there’s a lot of improvement to come and he’ll be very good.

Ballyburn

He impressed in his bumpers last season. He’s a very keen horse and he sidestepped the Cheltenham bumper because I would imagine the Mullins team were mindful that he probably wouldn’t have handled the preliminaries.

He’s a horse that travels very well in his races. He has won a Point-to-Point, so he has experience jumping and I think he could be a very smart novice hurdler this season. He probably races a bit keenly to step too far up in trip just yet, so I see him as more a middle-distance Ballymore type horse for now.

Fact To File

I see that Fact To File, who finished second in last season’s Champion Bumper, is going chasing this season. I think the form of last year’s bumper will work out really well, and it’s already been franked by Captain Teague (third) coming out and winning the Persian War last weekend.

I flagged up Captain Teague last week and he’s a horse I have to also give a mention to. He won easily at Chepstow, and I think there should be a good bit more improvement to come. With how he raced on the day – hitting a little bit of a flat spot leaving the back straight – I think he could shape up to be an Albert Bartlett contender next year.

Fact To File is going jumping as a six-year-old so he has age on his side, but he also has Point-to-Point experience which will stand him in good stead. He’s a horse with so much potential and he really does excite me.

Ascot, Saturday

It’s going to be interesting to see Kyprios back out again and taking on Trueshan in the Champion Stayers (1.15pm). I think Kyprios should take a big step forward from his last run and could take a bit of beating.

There’s a big clash between Paddington and Tahiyra in the QEII (3.05pm). I’m a big fan of Tahiyra, but the question of the ground could leave her vulnerable to Paddington, who has form on soft. Although he was beaten last time, it wouldn’t be unusual for Aidan O’Brien to bring one back to form as he’s showed twice this season with Auguste Rodin.

In the Champion Stakes (3.45pm), King Of Steel could give Frankie a winner on the day. He did nothing wrong last time at Leopardstown, when only beaten a length behind Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes. I still feel he’s got lots of potential.