Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Tommy can Stroll home at Newbury

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty picks out his best bets at Newbury on Saturday.

Newbury, Saturday

Harry Skelton is doing 10st 2lbs to ride KARTOON AND CO (2:10pm) and the lightest he’s done in the last 12 months is 10st 3lbs. Kartoon And Co was dropped in last time at Sandown and kept on well to finish second and I’d say there’s potential for improvement on that run, so he could be a bit of value.

SOLO (2:40pm) was second to Elixir De Nutz in the Haldon Gold Cup in the autumn and for me he didn’t get home over 2m5f on his next start in Ascot. It’s a competitive race and he has top-weight to carry, but Freddie Gingell is claiming 5lbs off him, so he could be a value alternative to Heltenham.

I came down on LARCHMONT LASS in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (3:15pm). She won the mares’ Listed bumper in Sandown last season when beating Casa No Mento. She’s taken time to find her feet over hurdles, but won nicely when stepping up in trip last time, so I think there’s room for more progression from her. A mark of 113 would look reasonable in comparison to what she achieved in bumpers as Casa No Mento is currently rated 123.

There are a lot of unknowns in the Spring Sale Bumper (3:50pm) with many runners making their debuts. REGENT’S STROLL comes here after winning a competitive Ascot bumper, when beating a well fancied Michael Buckley-owned runner. You would imagine he should improve for that run, as Paul’s [Nicholls] horses generally do. On all known form he looks the one to be with.

DUHALLOW TOMMY (4:25pm) is three from three over fences since having had a wind op. All those wins have come at Plumpton, but he looks to me like a horse that should appreciate a bigger track and reasonable ground. Trainer Toby Lawes is a former assistant of Nicky Henderson’s and he trains fairly close to Newbury, so I’d say this has been the plan.

In the veterans’ chase (5:00pm), I thought SUPERVISOR was interesting. He was unlucky last time when his rider lost his whip in the closing stages but went down by only a head at the line. For a veteran, he’s one from six over fences so you could argue he’s not overly exposed compared to most of his rivals. He’s only just qualifying for these veterans’ races now since turning 10 at the beginning of the year too. He’s got good recent form on decent ground as well and I’d say there’s still a little bit of potential for improvement from him.