Charlie Hall Chase Runners 2024: Classy Field Set For Wetherby Showpiece

Some top notch staying chasers have been entered for Saturday’s Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, as a maximum of 13 could line up for the 3m 45y Grade 2 contest this weekend. Regarded as the first big National Hunt race of the season, the Charlie Hall Chase is always one of the first stepping stones to the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame is looking to win the race for the second time.

A fine winner of the event back in 2022, the Ditcheat raider suffered a shock defeat to Gentlemansgame 12 months ago, but he is one of the shining beacons to a field that could be awash with notable quality.

Gordon Elliott has entered a pair of Grade 1-winning performers in the shape of Gerri Colombe and Conflated, but this is likely to be a second option with Saturday’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal the more likely destination for that classy duo.

Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning was a fine winner of the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival back in March and the galloping grey will be looking to throw his hat into the ring as a possible Gold Cup contender and he’s another class act entered. A strong Irish contingent could line up and Mouse Morris could send French Dynamite across on the back of a Grade 3 at Punchestown, while last year’s King George VI Chase hero Hewick and former Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner The Real Whacker are also amongst the list of potential runners.

Iroko is expected to blossom into a fine staying chaser and is etched into the list of runners alongside veterans Dashel Drasher and Sam Brown, Flegmatik for the Skelton team, Emma Lavelle’s Hang In There and Olly Murphy’s Thunder Rock.

Charlie Hall Chase 2024 Runners