Geraghty booked for Baloo
The five-year-old was not among the original entries for the race, but with the race being switched to Sandown he will now carry Nicholls’ hopes rather than one-time favourite Albuhera.
Hoo La Baloo showed a liking for the track when he won the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day when ridden by Mick Fitzgerald, but this time another Irishman will be on board.
With Nicholls’ regular big-race rider Ruby Walsh recovering from injury, he has called on the services of 26-year-old Geraghty as his number two Christian Williams will be riding at Wetherby.
“Barry will ride some of mine at Sandown on Saturday,” said Nicholls.
“Christian Williams will be going up north to Wetherby to ride Neptune Collonges.”
Meanwhile, Henrietta Knight has elected to run her leading Arkle Trophy contender Racing Demon at Chepstow on Sunday, when he will be ridden for the first time in public by Sam Thomas.
The classy gelding is also entered in the totesport.com Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park 24 hours earlier but the Wantage trainer has opted for the Welsh venue where the going is described as soft, good to soft in places.
Knight explained her reason for going to Chepstow was that she was running out of options to get a preparatory outing into Racing Demon before Cheltenham.
“He’s going to Chepstow because we’ve run out of options and as Timmy Murphy has to go to Musselburgh, I’ve booked Sam Thomas to ride,” she confirmed.
* Jockeys Noel Fehily and Rodi Greene enjoyed only very minor success in London yesterday when their controversial 10-day suspensions for taking the wrong course at Fakenham last week were reduced by just one day.
