Geraghty Hoping Dancer Can Step Up

Barry Geraghty is looking forward to teaming up with Exotic Dancer for the first time in Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Jonjo O'Neill's seven-year-old finished a long way adrift of Monet's Garden and Kauto Star at Aintree on his seasonal reappearance.

But he made a similarly lacklustre start to the last campaign before going on to win four prestigious contests, leaving Geraghty to hope the same story unfolds this term.

'He improved a good bit from his first run to his second last year,' he said.

'Given improvement, and if he can get back to his form of last year, it should be a great race.

'He was good in the Gold Cup and if Kauto Star isn't up to scratch, then we'll hopefully be the ones to go close.'

Geraghty believes the fact Kauto Star raced lazily on his reappearance has given the opposition more hope of toppling Paul Nicholls' chaser this season ? but he is not inclined to get carried away just yet.

'I was talking to Ruby (Walsh) afterwards, and we were just chatting but he was anxious enough about it,' he added.

'For a winner of a Tingle Creek only 12 months ago to travel as poorly as he did, you might be worried.

'If he does it again the second day then you would be, but he should improve and there's no reason why he shouldn't travel the way he travelled last year.

'His best performance last year was when he won this Betfair Chase,' he told At The Races.

While Kauto Star sits at the head of the betting, Geraghty also holds Alan King's My Way De Solzen in high regard.

'He was a decent and classy hurdler before and this should suit him well,' he continued.

'He jumps well and he's a decent horse. On handicap ratings he probably has a bit to find, but he probably will improve and he's going to be bang there as well.'

King has been delighted with My Way De Solzen's build-up to the race, but is well aware of the quality opposition his star will face.

'We're very happy with My Way,' he said.

'He's working great and we took him away last week, he galloped over a mile and a half and is as ready as we can get him. It'll be a great race.

'He jumped nine fences again (on Thursday) and it just got his eye in so we couldn't be happier with his preparation.

'He usually comes on a touch for his first race, but the fact that we've taken him away and worked him will help.

'He's only slightly over his winning weight and he's much fitter than he was at Wetherby first up last year.

'I think you'd have to have a lot of respect for the whole field, but Kauto Star sets the standard by quite some way and he's going to be very difficult to beat.'

Nigel Twiston-Davies believes Ollie Magern could expose any chinks in the armour of the leading fancies.

The nine-year-old was fourth last year and showed he was in good nick when winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby for a second time on his reappearance.

'He's in very good form. Last year he was only beaten a length and three-quarters for second, so it was a very good run,' said the Naunton-based trainer.

'If there are any weaknesses in the big guns then we could win it.

'Everything's been fine since Wetherby. He's been spot-on.'

Charlie Swan runs Offshore Account but admits the lack of a recent run is giving him minor cause for concern.

He said: 'I'm looking forward to him now but I would love to have a run under his belt.

'We haven't even been able to get him onto the grass as the ground has been so quick.

'He just kept improving and improving all last season but he'd had a few runs over hurdles before he went over fences so he was very fit.

'It's a very good race and we're not under any illusions as to that, but I think there's prize money down to sixth and if we get some of that we'll be happy.'

(C) PA Sport