Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Call on Gustavian to win battle of the veterans

William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty looks over the best of the racing from Sandown, Naas and Plumpton this weekend.

Sandown, Saturday

I thought CAN YOU CALL put in a good performance when winning in veterans’ company at Cheltenham and might be up to winning this Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase (1:50pm). It was a quality renewal that he won last time, beating strong rivals in Torn And Frayed and Eldorado Allen, and I think it showed a good step forward from his previous run. He’s gone up seven pounds for that win, but he seems like a horse that is on good terms with himself at the moment.

NURSE SUSAN and Jubilee Alpha meet again in the Listed mares’ hurdle (2:25pm) after the former finished nearly eight lengths ahead of her reopposing rival when winning at Cheltenham last time. She was getting a stone in weight from Jubilee Alpha in that handicap but only gets two pounds here, so that could tip the balance in favour of her rival. However, I think Nurse Susan won with a bit up her sleeve and could offer value against the favourite. She has had her problems with injury but ran a big race last time and if reproducing that again, she might be the one to beat. Jubilee Alpha was beaten at short odds at Taunton on her penultimate run, and it could be worth taking her on again.

In the Veterans’ Series Final (3:05pm), I thought GUSTAVIAN holds strong claims. He won the Badger Beers Handicap Chase in Wincanton last time, beating horses like Threeunderthufive, which to me looks like outstanding form in this race. Coming from that to veterans’ company represents a drop in class and he could be up to defying an eight-pound rise in the weights. Anthony Honeyball is in good form too, with nearly a 30% strike rate in the last fortnight.

HOT FUSS ran a great race to finish runner-up in a competitive handicap hurdle at Ascot last time and might be the one to side with in the finale from Sandown, a two-mile handicap hurdle (3:35pm). He’s got some strong form to his name, including when fourth in the Fred Winter behind Puturhandstogether last season. He disappointed on his first two runs of the season, but those came on soft or heavy ground, and the good-to-soft ground at Ascot suited him much better. Conditions should be similar at Sandown and as only a five-year-old, he can continue on the up.

Naas, Sunday

Willie Mullins holds a strong hand in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novice Hurdle (1:25pm), with Sortudo and SAINT BACO at the head of the betting. Saint Baco put in a really good performance first time up when winning a maiden hurdle in Navan, with the runner-up, Lazare De Star, going on to win nicely at Leopardstown since. The form of Sortudo’s win in Cork is also working out, and he has some strong bumper form from last season too, but with Paul Townend choosing to ride Saint Baco it suggests he is the one to beat.

Plumpton, Sunday

I thought INVINCIBLE NAO might be the one to side with in the Sussex National (2:35pm). He is an unbeaten two-from-two around Plumpton, including when winning this race last season, which was run in February. Last time out at Sandown, he came to challenge at the second last but just didn’t see things out as strongly as the winner O’Connell. That horse has gone on to frank the form by finishing second in the Welsh Grand National. Plumpton is a very sharp track and course form counts for a lot, so Invincible Nao could well extend his record around there to a perfect three-from-three.