Hi all,
Inside today’s main I’m looking ahead to Saturday’s Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
It’s a cracking weekend of racing on both sides of the Irish Sea.
On Saturday, Wetherby stages Charlie Hall Chase Day, one of the early season chase highlights over jumps. Ascot also hosts a strong card featuring two Premier Handicap Chases on a seven-race card. I say potentially strong because much depends on whether Ascot gets the rain it needs and the same goes for Wetherby as to who will turn up. In Ireland, Down Royal takes centre stage with the Grade 1 BetVictor Champion Chase, always a key early pointer for the top three-mile chasers.
Across the Atlantic, the Breeders’ Cup begins on Friday, with the juveniles in action on Future Stars Friday. Then on Saturday, the action steps up again with a glittering card packed with multiple Grade 1s on both dirt and turf.
Finally, on Sunday, the curtain falls on the 2025 Irish Flat season at the Curragh. Over jumps, Carlisle hosts a Premier Raceday, featuring the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase as part of another seven-race card.
Legends of the Charlie Hall
The Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase is the jewel in Wetherby’s jumps season.
Back in the day, the race was won by true greats like Burrough Hill Lad, Wayward Lad, Forgive N Forget, Barton Bank, One Man, and See More Business.
No disrespect to recent winners, but you wouldn’t mention Gentlemansgame or The Real Whacker in the same breath as those chasing legends.
If you want a reminder of what a proper Charlie Hall looked like, watch the 1984 renewal here. Just four runners but what a quartet. Burrough Hill Lad and Wayward Lad were the 10/11 joint favourites. And look at those stiff Wetherby fences and compare them to today’s soft offerings.
And one final point. Ignore anyone who calls the Charlie Hall Chase a Cheltenham Gold Cup trial. It just isn’t.
This century, runners from the race who went on to the Gold Cup are 0 wins from 33, with only two even making the frame.
So, see it for what it is — a proper autumn highlight and a fine early-season chase in its own right.
Sorting the Charlie Hall Contenders
Ten were confirmed at Monday’s final entry stage. Given recent renewals drew just five, four, and six runners, it would be no surprise if fewer than six line up on the day.
It’s been mostly dry at Wetherby, but up to 25mm of rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday. That could change everything.
Protektorat heads the official ratings and the ante post betting, and connections will be hoping the rain comes to ease the ground.
Djelo remains unexposed at three miles and could make his return if the ground eases. The question is whether he’ll need the run and he might have a bigger target like the King George in mind.
The Real Whacker, last year’s winner, would hold claims of a repeat on good ground. However, if the rain arrives then his chance is diminished.
Hewick brings race fitness, having won over hurdles at Thurles just 16 days ago. A sound surface suits him perfectly. If he gets those conditions, he’ll be a big player.
Pic D'Orhy isn’t as ground dependent as The Real Whacker, but he still prefers it on the quicker side. This will be his first try beyond 2m6f. Trainer Paul Nicholls is confident he’ll stay three miles, and I tend to agree. It’s a race that Nicholls has won five times.
Charlie Hall Verdict:
If all the main contenders line up, we’ll have a decent renewal. Soft ground would make Djelo and Protektorat of real interest, and at the prices, the 6/1 about Djelo looks value. On good ground, I’d be siding with Pic D'Orhy and Hewick.
Wednesday Preview
I’ve looked at few races at Nottingham and Kempton in today’s preview.
Nottingham
The Listed Robin Hood Stakes (2:47) is Nottingham’s feature. Ice Max impressed when landing a competitive Class 2 at York 19 days ago. He handles soft ground well and can follow up. Prague would be a major player if rediscovering his best from last autumn. The 5yo has struggled on quicker going this year, but conditions are back in his favour. Fondo Blanco looked good when winning at Haydock last month on his first try at a mile. The 3yo still has more to offer over this trip and, despite needing to bridge an 8lb gap with Ice Max on RPRs, can run well. his yard won this race with a 3yo in 2019.
3:17 – Just a short head split Love Beach and Sea Poetry when they met here 21 days ago. Over this longer trip, I fancy Sea Poetry to turn the tables. Newtown Duke, back from a short break, goes well on soft ground and looks well treated from an easing mark.
3:47 – Maxident could prove hard to peg back if allowed his own way up front. He made all to win on heavy at Ffos Las last time and is only 3lb higher. Rock N Roll Pinkie, a triple course winner, ran a career best when runner-up here over two miles but might find the drop in trip too sharp in a possibly tactical race. Double Meaning drops in class after a fine fourth in the Old Rowley Cup and should appreciate the return to 1m6f. Lightning Tiger, who improved for the step up to 1m4f when scoring at Catterick on handicap debut, He’s up 6lb but looks open to more progress over this longer distance.
Kempton
6:30 – Borgi and Cogitate finished third and fourth in a C&D handicap just seven days ago and there shouldn’t be much between them again. James Doyle rides Cogitate, but Jack Callan’s 5lb claim on Borgi just swings it in his favour. Both would prefer a strong pace, while a steadier tempo could bring Silca Bay into play. The dual course winner steps up to a mile from 7f and is drawn well in stall 1.
7:00 – Coul Angel, a C&D winner, won at Newmarket two runs back and shaped well again when third at Wolverhampton 11 days ago. The forecast strong pace will suit the 3yo who has solid claims.
7:30 – North Star returned to form when runner-up at Newmarket last time (1m2f) but may not get her own way in front here. She also has stamina to prove. Pride Of Donegal looked an improver when winning over C&D on handicap debut 19 days ago. A 7lb rise looks fair, and Callan’s 5lb claim offsets most of it. He can follow up if the wide draw isn’t an issue. Gemmari, twice a winner early in the year on the all-weather, returns from a break just 3lb higher than his last success and could go close if fit enough.
Wednesday Selection
Hopefully some of you were on Filanderer (11/2), who won well at Ffos Las on his seasonal return. I sent out three Jockey Change qualifiers to Victor Value subscribers, including Willmount in the same race, but this is what I wrote:
“3:28 – Willmount (I’m actually interested in C&D winner and bottom weight Filanderer, who is returning from a 194-day layoff but has won off a long layoff in the past).”
Hopefully, that line guided a few of them towards the winner.
Ice Max has a favourites chance in the Listed Robin Hood Stakes at Nottingham (2:47) but Prague if bouncing back to last year’s best would give him plenty to think about and the improving 3yo Fondo Blanco, unexposed over a mile, can’t be discounted either.
Lightning Tiger and Double Meaning both have chances in the 1m6f handicap (3:47) at Nottingham with a slight preference for the former.
Under the lights at Kempton Borgi at around 6/1 is the value against Cogitate in the mile handicap (6:30) but both would want a good gallop to chase. A more steadily run race brings Silca Bay into the mix on his first try at mile.
Coul Angel has been priced up as expected in the sprint handicap (7:00). I would want 9/2 rather the 11/4 best price to back him.
Pride Of Donegal is fair price at 5/2 in the 1m4f handicap (7:30) but stall 13 is a worry. If he drifted out, I might be more tempted to get involved.
Tomorrow, I’ll be turning my focus to the Breeders’ Cup, which gets underway at Del Mar on Friday.
Good luck with your Wednesday bets.
John