News Barry Geraghty cautious on Betfair Hurdle chance for Blazer

Barry Geraghty cautious on Betfair Hurdle chance for Blazer

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Barry Geraghty feels Blazer would face a much stiffer task if he runs in Saturday's Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old returned to hurdles last weekend after failing to pull up any trees over fences and ran out a most impressive winner of a competitive handicap.

He picked up a 5lb penalty which improved his chances of making the cut, but his position in the race is still not certain and Geraghty thinks that although he is vying for favouritism, things will be tough.

Speaking in his At The Races blog, he said: "He enjoyed conditions and Blazer won well. It just may not have been that good a race.

"He handled conditions and he won well, and you can do no more than win, but the form may not be very strong.

"Blazer is entered in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday, and that will obviously be a far more competitive race.

"If he gets into the race and if he takes his chance, he will be carrying a 5lb penalty in a far more competitive race, so that will obviously be more difficult."