Charlie Hall Chase: runner-by-runner guide and tip

You must travel all the way back to 2004 and front-running Grey Abbey to find the last bet365 Charlie Hall Chase winner to be older than nine years of age, but the odds looked stacked in favour of the “oldies” for Saturday’s renewal.

The first three in the ante-post betting – Protektorat, Pic D’Orhy and Hewick – are all ten-year-olds.

Ten runners were in the mix on Monday but that has become six, with Gordon Elliott taking out the pair he had engaged. Here’s a guide to a race you can watch live on Racing TV.

Trainer: Venetia Williams. Official rating:  162. Odds: 5-1. 

Ended last season with a whimper, running well below-par at Cheltenham and Aintree. We also have no idea about stable form, as Venetia Williams has had just one runner this autumn (a 13-8 chance who fluffed his lines). Perhaps it’s best to focus on the fact that the youngest member of the field has a good record when fresh, seems versatile regards ground/trip and boasts form that puts him right in the mix. His highlights last term were a convincing defeat of Protektorat in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, plus an emphatic success in the Denman Chase at Newbury. The seven-year-old will have a 6lb penalty to carry. 

Trainer: Paul Nicholls. Official rating: 162. Odds: 4-1. 

He’s got a fabulous wins-to-runs ratio, winning half of his 22 races over fences. And it’s easy to forget that before being unleashed over the bigger obstacles, he won a Betfair Hurdle in 2020. Overall, he’s won three Grade One prizes and six Grade Two contests, so you oppose him at your peril. However, he’s unproven beyond 2m 5f and he has run most of his races at right-handed courses like Ascot and Kempton.  That said, he’s won at the highest level at Aintree, while Paul Nicholls scooped this with Cyrname in 2020 when he had similar doubts hanging over him. Incidentally, Nicholls is one short a record-equalling sixth Charlie Hall winner. 

Trainer: Patrick Neville. Official rating: 156. Odds: 15-2.

His victory in last year’s Charlie Hall was the highlight of his season, although the form looked wobbly at the time and he struggled afterwards, failing to make an impact in Grade One company at Kempton, Cheltenham and Aintree. He’s back in shallower waters and should be primed for his defence after an encouraging spin over hurdles last month, although unlike last year he has a 6lb penalty to overcome. His trainer said on Thursday: “The Real Whacker is in super form.  I think we have him better prepared this time than he was last year. The ground will be fine and we decided to go with a pair of cheekpieces, just to give him a bit extra. Now he is a bit older, he is getting clever."

Trainer: Jamie Snowden. Official rating:  155. Odds: 16-1. 

Won the Paddy Power Gold Cup three years ago and was runner-up in that contest last year, too. Perhaps this is a stepping stone back to Cheltenham as he’s on the same mark as 12 months ago. He’s one of those horses caught between a rock and a hard place; not being good enough to win the top Graded races and not being well enough weighted to land another big handicap. His jumping can be a mixed bag and he throws in the odd stinker. He’s also entered at Down Royal and Ascot this weekend. 

Trainer:  John Hanlon. Official rating: 158. Odds: 4-1. 

Needs no introduction, adding another chapter to his remarkable rags-to-riches story with a fluent success over hurdles at Thurles this month, albeit he was up against only two rivals.

That should have put him spot on for this assignment, plus he looks like getting decent ground he enjoys.

The 2023 King George winner has no penalty to shoulder, with his efforts last term including bold shows in the Irish Gold Cup and Grand National. He's a sound jumper and looks to have plenty going for him, with Gavin Sheehan, aboard for his Kempton triumph, being reunited with him.

Trainer:  Dan Skelton. Official rating: 165. Odds: 9-4. 

He can be relentless when at his peak, such as when running his rivals into submission in the 2024 Ryanair Chase, and when dishing out a 23-length drubbing to Djelo at Windsor in January. He escapes a penalty for that latter romp.

However, he surrendered his Ryanair crown quite tamely and could not keep tabs with Jonbon in the Melling Chase the following month. The ten-year-old has not run over 3m or further for almost a couple of years, but he’s got plenty of form over staying trips and going back up in distance may well suit him as he’s probably lost a bit of pace.

Bigger niggles are that he has needed his comeback run for the past couple of seasons and that his very best form has been achieved on soft ground. 

The suggestion at the start of the week was HEWICK, when 6-1 with William Hill. His odds have shortened but he still makes plenty of appeal. He looked in good heart when scoring over hurdles last month, seems likely to get the goodish ground he favours plus has no penalty to shoulder. Djelo has to put a tame end to last season behind him but he has a good record when fresh and he may pose the biggest threat.