Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Captain can bounce back in the Challow

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks over Saturday’s racing from Newbury and Taunton as well as looking ahead to the pick of the action from Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

We didn’t see the best version of Galopin Des Champs on his reappearance in the John Durkan, but with his performance in the Savills Chase on Thursday, he proved himself to be the horse he was when winning the Gold Cup last season. To jump and travel as he did and then pull 23 lengths clear of some really smart opposition takes a brilliant horse.

They didn’t go overly quick in the early part of the race, which probably did play to Galopin Des Champs’ strengths, and had Fastorslow have run I think he might have struggled to deal with the winners’ pace. Galopin Des Champs has so much class, he could just be the best we’ve seen for a while.

Newbury, Saturday

Jeriko Du Reponet will be a warm order to follow up his recent impressive course and distance win here (12:40pm), but he does face and interesting rival in Alan King’s PARADIAS. He was a 95-rated horse on the Flat and was competitive in some big handicaps through the summer. Jeriko Du Reponet struck me as a horse that will enjoy a step up in trip in time, and I think Paradias brings a pace element into this that could just give him an edge. I don’t think the current prices reflect his chance and there could be a bit of value to be had by siding with Alan King’s runner.

GET A TONIC (1:50pm) was a course and distance winner last time, in what looked to be like a more competitive race than this one. I’d expect her to back up her win. I thought Steal A March’s better form seemed to be over further.

SURREY QUEST (2:25pm) was impressive on stable debut in Huntingdon. It seemed to be a smart performance and I think this slightly stiffer track will suit. I don’t think this is the strongest of contests and Surrey Quest, on only his second start for trainer Toby Lawes, stands out to me as a horse that might be a little bit progressive.

The Challow Hurdle (3:00pm) looks to me to be between the top two in the market, Willmount and CAPTAIN TEAGUE. Willmount was very impressive in his bumpers and likewise on his hurdle debut at Newbury, but Captain Teague, if you ignore his most recent run at Cheltenham, has some very solid form in the book. He was third in the Champion Bumper, when just behind Fact To File, who put in a top drawer performance at Leopardstown on Thursday, and won well on reappearance in the Persian War at Chepstow. While you need a little bit of forgiveness to overlook his disappointing run last time, I still think he brings a higher level of form than Willmount and possibly offers a bit more value.

Taunton, Saturday

QUEENS GAMBLE (2:10pm) has been so consistent to date, winning four of her six starts, with her only losses coming to the promising Dysart Enos and in the Champion Bumper. She didn’t run a bad race at Cheltenham either, as she was staying on again at the finish. I would respect her main market rival, Casa No Mento, but I think Queens Gamble has a higher level of form.

Cheltenham, Monday

Stage Star has 12st to carry in the feature 2m4f handicap chase (2:05pm), having gone up 11 pounds in the weights for his win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November. That was a really good performance, but weight will stop a train. To shoulder that weight around Cheltenham in a competitive handicap is a big ask. An alternative to Stage Star could be RICHMOND LAKE, who looks progressive and only has 10st 12lb to carry here.

Having missed the Long Walk at Ascot, it’s interesting to see MARIE’S ROCK drop back in trip and go for the Relkeel (3:15pm) instead. She was a little disappointing on her reappearance in Newbury, where she sweated up beforehand and was a bit keen through the race. However, she was an impressive winner of this race last season, and a return to that level of form would make her hard to beat. The vibes were very strong behind Bob Olinger before he made a winning reappearance in Navan. He put in a good performance there, and is a horse that is potentially coming back to the level that we saw in his novice hurdle campaign. The form of that Navan race has taken a few knocks since though, with Home By The Lee disappointing at Leopardstown on Thursday. Lossiemouth is an interesting entry pre final declarations, but she would be stepping up in trip for the first time here and I’d say she isn’t likely to run.