Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase meeting kick starts on Friday, and there is some very decent racing action over the two days at the West Yorkshire course. Friday includes the eagerly awaited Chase debut of Apple Away, plus the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle being the feature contest of the day for the younger jumpers.
GG writer Jake Russell is on hand to guide us through his selections for all seven races on the competitive card. See who’s he’s siding with and back his selections with Copybet, who are offering new customers £40 in FREE BETS when they place a £10 bet!
12.40pm – bet365 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
A tricky contest to open the card, but the feeling here is Presenting Nelly might not have stopped improving. She has won her last two races and has the form figures of 3411 since going over hurdles for the Skeltons. She was a game winner last time out when running off the rating of 91, she has now been since raised up to a new mark of 108, which is some rise in the weights. She beat a pretty experienced rival last time in game fashion when carrying a penalty, and that horse is rated 112. I think she could improve even more to win a race like this, with race fitness on her side whereas most of these are having their first runs of the new season here.
1.15pm – bet365 Novices’ Chase (Class 3)
This is a real decent contest considering there are only four runners heading to post. And it is the eagerly awaited Chase debut of Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away. Now Lucinda has had unfortunate luck with her chase debutants already this season, but I feel given her previous races Apple Away could be as good of a chaser as she was a hurdler. Coming on leaps and bounds with each run last season, she won 4 of her 7 runs over Hurdles, ending off with an excellent, career best effort in the Grade 1 Grand Sefton at Aintree’s Grand National meeting. That was obviously a career best performance, earning her the rating of 141, and given how game she was over hurdles, waiting for this 3-mile Novice Chase could prove to be the right option for her from connections. She gets a little chunk of weight from her main rival Gray Dawning, who also lacks the experience over this 3-mile trip, having just run over it the once, which was a fall in the Aintree race. Although both rated 141, Apple Away does have the advantage heading into this fascinating contest.
1.50pm – bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
Although just the seven runners, this is a pretty difficult contest to decipher. In these sort of contests I always like to side with the top weight in the race, and Donald McCain’s Nayati could be the one to fit the bill. Not seen on the track in over 200 days, he has plenty of experience over hurdles with 27 runs to his name, which includes 8 previous wins. A winner at a higher level than this, including three class 2 contests last season, he does also seem to go very well fresh with a decent record when having his first run of the season. He carries quite a bit of weight in this but William Maggs takes off a very valuable 7lb’s, and given the fact he has operated at a higher level than this, he could have too much class for the rest of these.
2.25pm – Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle (Listed – Class 1)
A really nice Juvenile contest with a mixture of lightly raced runners, as well as a few very experienced runners. Max Of Stars and Gifted Angel have raced many times and won of a few different occasions, however Ben Brookhouse has started the season very well and his I Still Have Faith could be the unexposed one who could be the best of these. He had a few runs on the flat for his current trainer, running 15 times and winning on four different occasions, it was his hurdle debut over course and distance that caught the eye last time. The form could be questionable in the long run, however he was sent off the odds on favourite so there was plenty of support for him. He was keen throughout and did make the odd few mistakes, however he powered clear to win by just under 4 lengths, keeping on when nudge along to win very comfortably indeed. That was an excellent introduction to hurdles, and I just feel he might end up improving to be the best horse in the race. An exciting horse for the yard going forward.
10 To Follow – Jake Russell’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season. Jake Russell is the first to give his selections, which include a Olly Murphy runner who he has down as the most exciting Novice Hurdler to follow this season! JUNTA MARVEL (Willie Mullins)…
Tue 17 Oct 20233.00pm – Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap – Class 1)
A really nice contest here, although he might be the best horse in the race, I feel there is a risk attached to picking Shan Blue. Therefore I feel War Lord could be very overpriced. Joe Tizzard could have a very productive season with some nice Novice Hurdlers coming through, as well as a few nice purchases for elsewhere joining the yard. War Lord has always promised to be a decent chaser in the making, running at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals the last two seasons, it was a 4th in the 2022 Arkle that caught the eye for most. He was once rated 149 at his peak, and has dropped down to a mark of 140 for this, but the key fact is that he’s had wind surgery. The Tizzard horses do well off the back of a wind operation, and I could see War Lord thriving for that and having a productive season ahead. He is a better horse than his current mark and I think connections will look to utilise that here.
3.35pm – bet365 Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle (Class 4)
Probably the most difficult race on the day to gauge, as all of these are younger horses who are either having their first run or have only had the two runs maximum. In a race of this nature I think experience can be the way to go, and although Summer Night City has winning form, he has to carry a hefty penalty here. Milton Harris does well with his Juveniles, and Dodger Long is the one to side with here for me. A very decent fourth on his debut at Exeter, he was only beaten by 5 lengths staying on well as they headed to the line. That was over the short trip they do for these junior horses of 1m5f, therefore this step up to 2-miles will more than suit him here. He will be more clued up than his debut, and with that experience under his belt the greenness he shown on debut might leave him here. I think he could be a nice type to come out of this race.
4.10pm – bet365 Novices’ Hurdle (Class 3)
As mentioned earlier on Joe Tizzard has some nice types heading into this season, and for me none more so than Diamond Ri. The impressive bumper winner makes his hurdling debut, and vibes from the yard are quite strong on this horse as he heads into his Novice Hurdling season. A very impressive bumper winner at Warwick by 13 lengths on racecourse debut last March, it takes a seriously nice horse to win on debut around there, and connections might have a nice type on their hands here. This is a decent contest however with a few nice types, but the manner that Diamond Ri won on his sole bumper start suggests there is plenty of talent in there. He is a very nice Novice for the season ahead with strong vibes coming from the yard about him.
Through-The-Card Tips
Check out our Weekend Watch podcast, to see who Andrew Mount, Dave Young and Kate Tracey are siding with in all the big action on ITV from Ascot and Wetherby on Saturday:
10 To Follow – Andrew Mount’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season. GG’s chief tipster Andrew Mount is the next to give his selections, which include two runners from champion trainer Paul Nicholls yard, as well as last season’s Irish Grand National winner. BYKER (Charles…
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