Barry Geraghty’s Cheltenham Festival Blog: Romeo Coolio can show his class

Cheltenham, Wednesday

Turners Novices' Hurdle - 1:20pm

I have tipped Sober during my previews in the last 10 days at some big prices. It's not that I've gone cold on him, as I think he has a great each-way chance, but we were led to believe that KING RASKO GREY would go to the Supreme. Instead, he runs here and Paul Townend is aboard him. He ran a very good race when finishing just behind Talk The Talk and Ballyfad in a Leopardstown Grade 1. He led over the second last that day but just got tired at the finish, and it was a performance that suggested he would come on for the run. With Paul aboard King Rasko Grey, he would be the main pick here.

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - 2:00pm

There's a big field in this race with 16 runners set to go to post. Having won over two miles last time at Leopardstown, ROMEO COOLIO is stepping up markedly in trip which would be a concern for many people. He did win the Drinmore over two-and-a-half miles on soft ground at Fairyhouse in November however, and before that he beat Koktail Divin by 14 lengths over two-and-a-half miles at Down Royal. I think a big factor is that he is now a seven-year-old, and I don't think stamina is going to be an issue. He wears a hood for the first time, which should help ensure he settles and doesn't do too much through the early part of the race. He's won three Grade 1 novice chases this season, so he is the class horse in the race.

I think Gordon [Elliott] is well represented here, as I do like Western Fold each-way too, but for me Romeo Coolio is the one.

BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle - 2:40pm

I like last year's Fred Winter winner PUTURHANDSTOGETHER. He won the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh on his penultimate start, and to win over two-miles-one-furlong on the Flat means he is has bags of stamina and is going to love this step up in trip. He was hampered at the last hurdle on his most recent start in Fairyhouse when in with a place chance. I think this step up in trip is going to unlock more improvement and he looks a bit of value in the market.

Cross Country Handicap Chase - 3:20pm

The top two, Stumptown and Favori De Champdou, are both really good horses, but I think the drying ground is going to work against last year's winner Stumptown. FINAL ORDERS will love the conditions and was a winner around this course at the December Meeting. That came on good ground, and while it might be a shade softer than that, it won't be as bad as it was on his last run in January when he finished fifth, 16 lengths behind Favori De Champdou. He jumps really well, will love conditions and I think he could go well here in another very competitive race.

Queen Mother Champion Chase - 4:00pm

MAJBOROUGH should be hard to beat. He put in a breathtaking performance on really soft ground at Leopardstown last time when wearing first-time cheekpieces. I know they may work again, but I do think he might need slower ground to reproduce that kind of form. He is the one to beat and I thought Il Etait Temps is his biggest danger as he has the strongest form of the rest of the field. He was well beaten when he fell last time behind Jonbon in the Clarence House, but he never travelled a yard in that race. Prior to that he had some really good form and if you forgive him that blot last time, then he looks the one that could chase home the favourite.

Grand Annual Handicap Chase - 4:40pm

I thought INTHEPOCKET showed some green shoots of revival last time out when finishing fifth behind Jacob's Ladder at Leopardstown. He ran a bit keen through that race and with a bit more cover, as he will get here, he could run really well. He was highly thought of as a novice, and finished fourth in the Supreme a few years ago. He's had some troubled times with injury, but now looks to be coming back to himself and is definitely of interest.

One at a very fancy price that I thought could outrun his odds is PERSONAL AMBITION. He's only gone up five pounds for a demolition job at Newbury last time when wearing first-time blinkers. If you go back through his form, some of it is very strong, including when beating Jango Baie over hurdles in a Grade 2. He looked to lose his confidence over fences, but bounced back to form the last day and could go well again.

Champion Bumper - 5:20pm

I'm going to stick with LOVE SIGN D'AUNOU. He put in a really good performance to win on his debut for the yard in Naas, on ground that was very testing. The fact that Willie [Mullins] was so sure during his press days a few weeks ago that Patrick [Mullins] would be riding this fella speaks volumes. He's obviously number one in Willie's mind and he knows more about training the winner of the bumper than anyone.