ITV Racing has ten live races on Saturday 31 October. The main action is from Wetherby on Charlie Hall day and from Ascot, with the Grade 1 Champion Chase from Down Royal as well. The Charlie Hall Chase and Ascot’s Regal Encore Handicap Chase are both worth £56,950 to the winner.

Four of last year’s winners are back, including Kateira, Strong Leader and Henry’s Friend, and the 2024 Charlie Hall winner The Real Whacker returns. We’ve gone back through the last ten runnings of each ITV race to pull out the trends worth knowing before you bet. The going is Good at Wetherby, Good (Good to Firm in places) on Ascot’s chase course, Good to Firm (Good in places) on Ascot’s hurdles course, and Yielding at Down Royal.

Key Race Schedule For Saturday 31st October

Time	Course	Race	Grade	Distance	Runners
1.10pm	Wetherby	Position Payout At bet365 Handicap Chase	Class 3	2m3f85y	8
1.25pm	Ascot	Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase	Class 3	2m2f181y	5
1.45pm	Wetherby	bet365 Montagu Mares’ Hurdle	Listed	2m	10
2.00pm	Ascot	Sodexo Live! Handicap Chase	Class 2	2m172y	12
2.18pm	Wetherby	bet365 Hurdle	Grade 2	3m26y	4
2.33pm	Ascot	Sodexo Live! Regal Encore Handicap Chase	Premier Handicap	2m7f185y	10
2.55pm	Wetherby	bet365 Charlie Hall Chase	Grade 2	3m45y	6
3.15pm	Down Royal	BetVictor Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase	Grade 1	3m	7
3.30pm	Wetherby	Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Hurdle	Class 3	2m	4
3.43pm	Ascot	Lavazza Handicap Hurdle	Class 2	1m7f157y	16

1.10pm Wetherby – Position Payout At bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 3)

This Class 3 handicap chase over 2m3f85y opens the ITV coverage and is worth £10,562 to the winner. It has been part of Charlie Hall day since 2018, so the trends below cover eight runnings. Eight go to post on Good ground, including two previous winners.

• Favourites go well: 5 of the last 8 winners were favourite or joint-favourite, and every beaten favourite still finished in the first four.
• Short prices: 6 of the 8 winners started 13/2 or shorter. The one big shock was Geryville at 40/1 in 2021.
• Past winners back: Geryville won in 2021 off 109 and Ladronne in 2022 off 109. Both now run off 120, aged 10 and 12. No winner in the last eight runnings was older than 10.
• Profile: 7 of the 8 winners were aged five to eight, and 6 of 8 were rated between 109 and 123. Top-rated Palamon (123), Kahavari, Koukeo, Tanking Along and Marty McFly all fit.
• Course form: William Cody was 2nd in this race in 2023 and 4th in 2024, but now runs off 117, 9lb higher than two years ago.

1.25pm Ascot – Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3)

Ascot’s card starts with a novices’ limited handicap chase over just short of two miles and three furlongs, worth £10,562. Only five are declared, and small fields are normal here: between three and ten have run in each of the last 10 years.

• Market leaders: 9 of the last 10 winners started 9/2 or shorter. The only big-priced winner was Sir Psycho at 12/1 in 2023. Favourites have won 3 of the 10.
• Age: six- and seven-year-olds have won 8 of the last 10. Glynn Brae, Dance And Glance, Jet To Vegas and The Gray Ghost are all in that bracket.
• Twiston-Davies link: Nigel Twiston-Davies and Sam Twiston-Davies won it in 2022 with Gowel Road and team up again with Glynn Brae, the top-rated runner on 136.
• Top weight: Glynn Brae carries 11st 10lb off 136, the same weight and mark as last year’s winner No Questions Asked.
• Honeyball: Anthony Honeyball won this in 2020 with Sully D’Oc AA and runs Dance And Glance.

1.45pm Wetherby – bet365 Montagu Mares’ Hurdle (Listed)

The Listed Mares’ Hurdle over two miles is worth £17,085 and has become a Skelton benefit in recent years. Ten mares run, led by last year’s winner Kateira.

• Skelton stronghold: Dan Skelton has won 5 of the last 10, including 4 of the last 5. Harry Skelton rode four of those winners. The yard runs Kateira and Service Minimum.
• Defending champion: Kateira won last year at 2/1 and is the top-rated runner on 140. She is now nine, and Lady Buttons (2019) is the only nine-year-old winner in the last 10 years.
• Prices: 9 of the last 10 winners started 7/2 or shorter, but only 3 favourites won. Odds-on favourites were beaten in 2024 and 2025.
• Snowden and Sheehan: Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan won in 2023 with You Wear It Well and team up again with La Conquiere.
• Age: no four-year-old has won in the last 10 years, which counts against Mia Sunshine. Six-year-olds have won three times, and White Noise (137) is the highest-rated of them.

2.00pm Ascot – Sodexo Live! Handicap Chase (Class 2)

This two-mile-one handicap chase is worth £52,030 and was a Class 1 race until this year. Twelve run, and three of them have won it before.

• Three past winners: Teddy Blue (2025), Martator (2024) and Boothill (2023) all return. Teddy Blue won off 131 and Martator off 134. Both now run off 144 and share top weight of 12st.
• Seven-year-olds: 7 of the last 10 winners were aged seven. Vanderpoel, Jour D’Evasion, Shakeyatailfeather and Aeros Luck are this year’s seven-year-olds.
• Age limit: no winner in the last 10 years was older than nine, which counts against Boothill (11) and Glengouly (10).
• Favourites struggle: just 1 of the last 10 favourites won (Boothill, 2023).
• Dropped in the weights: Gabriel’s Getaway was 2nd last year at 25/1 and runs off 120, 11lb lower than last year.

2.18pm Wetherby – bet365 Hurdle (Grade 2)

The bet365 Hurdle, registered as the West Yorkshire Hurdle, is a three-mile Grade 2 worth £35,594. Only four run, but it is a rematch of last year’s first two, Strong Leader and Take No Chances.

• Defending champion: Strong Leader won at 15/8 last year for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen. He is top-rated on 153 but carries a 4lb penalty. No horse has won it twice since Tidal Bay in 2012 and 2013.
• The rematch: Take No Chances was beaten a neck by Strong Leader last year. Dan Skelton and Harry Skelton are the only trainer and jockey with two wins in the last 10 years (2020 and 2022).
• Favourites: just 1 of the last 10 favourites won (Roksana, 2020).
• Mares: mares have won 3 of the last 10. Strong Leader is the only male in the field; Take No Chances, Paggane and Lavida Adiva all receive the 7lb allowance.
• Age: 7 of the last 10 winners were aged seven or eight. Take No Chances, Paggane and Lavida Adiva fit; Strong Leader is now nine.

2.33pm Ascot – Sodexo Live! Regal Encore Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)

The feature at Ascot is the old Gold Cup, a three-mile Premier Handicap worth £56,950. It now carries the name of the 2020 winner, Regal Encore. Ten run, including last year’s winner.

• Defending champion: Henry’s Friend won at 17/2 last year off 143 and runs off 142. No horse has won the race twice. Ben Pauling also runs top weight Your Darling.
• Age: eight-year-olds have won 4 of the last 10, and no nine- or ten-year-old won in that time. Somespring Special is the only eight-year-old, and five runners are aged nine.
• Weight: 6 of the last 10 winners carried 11st or more, and top weight won twice.
• Ratings: every winner in the last 10 years was rated 128 or higher, which counts against Imperial Alex (126).
• Prices: only 2 of the last 10 favourites won, and 3 winners started 10/1 or bigger.
• Course form: Neon Moon was 3rd in 2024 and 5th last year. He runs off 128, his lowest mark of the three runnings, but he is ten.

2.55pm Wetherby – bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2)

The Charlie Hall Chase is the first big staying chase of the season, worth £56,950 over three miles. Six run, including the 2024 winner The Real Whacker and top-rated Pic D’Orhy.

• Favourites to oppose: none of the last 10 favourites won. Four of them were odds-on.
• Short prices: 8 of the last 10 winners still started 5/1 or shorter. The biggest-priced winner was Irish Cavalier at 16/1 in 2016.
• Age: no horse aged ten or older has won since 2016. That counts against Pic D’Orhy (11), Hitman and The Real Whacker (both 10). Seven-year-olds won four times, and Handstands is the only one this year.
• Former winner: The Real Whacker won in 2024 and was 5th last year. No horse has won it twice since Ollie Magern (2005 and 2007).
• Top-rated: Pic D’Orhy is rated 162. He was 2nd last year for Paul Nicholls and now runs for Dan Skelton.
• Nicholls and Cobden: Paul Nicholls won in 2020 and 2022, both under Harry Cobden. Nicholls runs Hitman and Twinjets, and Cobden rides Twinjets.

3.15pm Down Royal – BetVictor Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase (Grade 1)

The Champion Chase is a three-mile Grade 1 worth €94,240, and this year it remembers Envoi Allen, who won it three times. Seven run on Yielding ground, and every runner carries 11st 10lb.

• De Bromhead’s race: Henry de Bromhead has won 4 of the last 10, including the last two with Envoi Allen. He runs Heart Wood (166) with Darragh O’Keeffe, who rode those two winners.
• Irish dominance: Irish-trained horses won 9 of the last 10. Frodon (2021) was the only British-trained winner. Rebecca Curtis runs Haiti Couleurs for Britain.
• Prices: 9 of the last 10 winners started 9/2 or shorter. Favourites won 3 times.
• Runner-up returns: Affordale Fury was 2nd last year and is the top-rated runner on 167. Noel Meade won it in 2018 and 2019.
• Elliott: Gordon Elliott has won 3 of the last 10 and runs Romeo Coolio and Croke Park. Jack Kennedy, who rode two of those winners, partners Romeo Coolio.

3.30pm Wetherby – Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)

This two-mile Class 3 handicap hurdle is worth £9,242. It has only been run over this trip on Charlie Hall day twice, so there are no long-term trends, but both runnings point the same way. Four go to post.

• Favourites: both previous runnings went to the favourite: Williethebuilder (13/8) in 2024 and Saligo Bay (2/1) in 2025.
• England link: Sam England and Jonathan England won it last year with bottom weight Saligo Bay. They team up with Banderas, who is bottom weight again on 10st 13lb.
• Skelton link: Harry Skelton won it in 2024 and rides Filibustering, the top-rated runner on 128 and top weight on 12st.
• Small field: only four run, so most bookmakers will bet win-only.

3.43pm Ascot – Lavazza Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

The Lavazza Handicap Hurdle over just short of two miles closes the ITV coverage and is worth £32,676. Sixteen run, and the hurdles course is Good to Firm, Good in places.

• Five-year-olds: five-year-olds won 5 of the last 10, and nothing older than seven won. There are six five-year-olds, including Gibbs Island, Messerschmitt and Trustintimes.
• Weight: 9 of the last 10 winners carried 11st or more.
• Gordon yard: Chris Gordon has won it twice in the last four years and runs Nap Hand, ridden by Freddie Gordon, who won on Our Champ in 2024.
• Last year’s team: Joe Tizzard and Brendan Powell won with Alexei last year and team up with Rightsotom.
• Top-rated: Williethebuilder is rated 140 and won the 2m handicap hurdle on this day at Wetherby in 2024.
• Prices: favourites won 3 of the last 10, and 3 winners started 10/1 or bigger.

Saturday trends summary

• Favourites to oppose: none of the last 10 Charlie Hall favourites won, and favourites are just 1 from 10 in both the bet365 Hurdle and Ascot’s 2.00pm handicap chase.
• Defending champions: Kateira (Mares’ Hurdle), Strong Leader (bet365 Hurdle), Henry’s Friend (Regal Encore) and Teddy Blue (2.00pm Ascot) are all back. Former winners The Real Whacker, Martator, Boothill, Geryville and Ladronne also run.
• Trainers to follow: Dan Skelton in the Mares’ Hurdle (5 wins in 10 years), Henry de Bromhead at Down Royal (4 wins) and Paul Nicholls in the Charlie Hall (2 wins).
• Age angles: no ten-year-old or older has won the Charlie Hall since 2016, no nine- or ten-year-old has won the Regal Encore in that time, seven-year-olds dominate the 2.00pm at Ascot and five-year-olds the Lavazza.

18+ | Please gamble responsibly. Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.

Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.