Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Filey to keep them at Bay in Betfair Hurdle

William Hill’s new racing ambassador Barry Geraghty reviews last weekend’s action from Dublin, and looks ahead to Saturday and Sunday’s cards across the country.

The Dublin Racing Festival was fantastic once again. GALOPIN DES CHAMPS put in a faultless performance in the Irish Gold Cup. He was relaxed and he jumped brilliantly. He seems to have settled down a lot which is so important for these horses going up in trip.  

The race wasn’t run at an end to end gallop, so his stamina wasn’t fully tested at the pace they were going, but he hit the line strongly and galloped on afterwards. I spoke with Paul [Townend] after the race and he was thrilled with him.  

The only place we’ll find out whether he has the stamina for a Gold Cup is in the Gold Cup itself. It’s the only department he hasn’t confirmed. We’ve seen horses over the years like One Man and Florida Pearl who just couldn’t quite get up the hill. There’s no reason why he won’t, but he has to prove it.  

STATE MAN was very good in the Irish Champion Hurdle, but a bit like Galopin Des Champs, I don’t think he proved anything more than we already knew – just his well-being. It was a solid effort. He had the run of the race and was better than the rest, but he’d need to be a good bit better than that to beat Constitution Hill in Cheltenham based on what we’ve seen from him so far.  

I don’t want to be analysing the race with rose-tinted glasses and if Constitution Hill wasn’t there, State Man would be a worthy favourite. HONEYSUCKLE just seems to have lost a bit of speed, which you’d expect as a nine-year-old. She needs two and a half miles now and the Mares’ Hurdle is the right option for her.  

El FABIOLO was absolutely brilliant in the Irish Arkle, although he does need to improve his jumping. I said before the race that it was the race of the season and it certainly lived up to it. I can’t recall a novice chase as strong on paper and then run at such a strong gallop. There was no let-up and El Fabiolo was the only one who could go at that pace. He made a bid mistake at the fourth last, but he will have learned from that and he’s a classy operator.  

You couldn’t fail to be impressed with MIGHTY POTTER in the Grade 1 novice chase on Sunday. I thought he jumped a bit better on his previous runs, but he still got the job done easily. He’s a horse with a big future – he really excites me. 

I know there was a lot said and written after FACILE VEGA was beaten in the two mile Grade 1 novice hurdle. They went too quick but I don’t think Paul had much choice. He’s made the running on his two previous starts so it would have been hard to get him to slot in as he’s quite a keen horse anyway.  

I think he will be better suited by two miles on soft ground or two and a half on good ground. The issue they have is that he ended up having a tough race and recovery time is tight enough for Cheltenham. They’re now on the back foot with him and not maybe where they would have liked to have been. 

IL ETAIT TEMPS did it well, though. He threw his hat into the ring for the Supreme and even when Willie [Mullins] had hotpots beaten over the two days, there were others just a few boxes away to pick up the pieces. The strength in depth is incredible.  

Newbury on Saturday 

Hitman looks like going off favourite in the Denman Chase (2:25) but he isn’t a horse who has excited me so far. He was disappointing in the King George last time and has it to prove. 

Eldorado Allen won the race last year and has a chance again, but the one I’m most interested in is DOES HE KNOW. He won a handicap in Cheltenham in November having fallen before that. Kim Bailey has given him a decent break during the winter, just like he did last year when he was off for three months before winning the Reynoldstown. He had a wind op before the start of the season and he’ll like the ground. He is a horse with potential. 

GREANETEEN should be very hard to beat in the Game Spirit (3:00). It was a top class run behind Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek and the ground will be ideal for him. He has over a stone in hand on ratings.  

The big betting race is the Betfair Hurdle (3:35) where it is very easy to make a case for FILEY BAY. He won impressively in Doncaster and then again in Wincanton the next time. Emmet Mullins does well with this type of horse and this will be Filey Bay’s first run in JP’s [McManus] colours. Donagh Meyler is also a very good rider.  

This is always a very competitive race and I could also see Monviel going well. He was impressive when winning in Ascot back in November, but if I had to pick one to ride it would be Filey Bay. 

Warwick on Saturday 

El Fabiolo put down a marker for the Arkle last weekend and now it’s JONBON’s turn in the Kingmaker (2:40). He’s 1/4 and has looked a very smart novice chaser so far. I’d say El Fabiolo is the only one he’ll have to worry about over the next few months.  

LOVE ENVOI has improved again this season and she is another favourite who will be hard to beat in the Listed Mares’ Hurdle (2:05). She’s settling better than she did last year and connections will be aiming her at the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival after this, which is shaping up to be a really interesting race.  

Exeter on Sunday 

I was really impressed with LUCCIA on her reappearance in Newbury and she will take a lot of beating here. She looks a strong contender for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle next month.   

Navan on Sunday 

BLAZING KHAL is a really interesting runner in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle (2:40) and he could be a potential springer in the Stayers’ Hurdle division. He hasn’t been seen since beating Gelino Bello in Cheltenham in December 2021 and if he’s ready to go he should be hard to beat for the likes of Saint Sam and Meet And Greet.