Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor face off again in bet365 Charlie Hall Chase cracker

Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor face off again in bet365 Charlie Hall Chase cracker

Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor headline a high-class field for the £100,000 G2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday, October 29, day two of the bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting.

The eagerly awaited rematch will be the third time the duo have met over fences, with Bravemansgame winning the battle in last season’s G1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase before Ahoy Senor reversed the form in the G1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

Bravemansgame is the 5/4 favourite with bet365 to give trainer Paul Nicholls his fifth bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, while Lucinda Russell’s stable star is next in at 9/4.

Eldorado Allen is the highest-rated horse in the race with a rating of 162, thanks to his victory in Newbury’s G2 Denman Chase and subsequent third behind Allaho in the G1 Ryanair Chase.

Lightly raced 10-year-old Sam Brown posted a career best when routing the opposition by 15 lengths in a G3 handicap chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, in what was only his 13th career start.

Trainer Anthony Honeyball said: “Sam Brown has come through his preparation without any dramas and we have pressed enough buttons so that he can do himself justice.

“He is definitely a Grade Two-class horse and, given his rating of 157, there are not many options short of going in a race like the Coral Gold Cup with a big weight. Whether it happens in the Charlie Hall or not, he definitely warrants a few goes at these sort of races.

“We did not think he would be able to win on the good to soft ground at Aintree but he did seem to spring off of it. It certainly brought about something we were not expecting and in some ways it is a positive because we do not know how good he can be on that sort of ground.

“I have a lot of respect for Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor, but Sam Brown is low mileage for a 10-year-old and it is nice to finally have him where we dreamt we would get him.”

The seven runners also include another Nicholls contender in Secret Investor, who has not run since defeating Clan Des Obeaux in the G2 Denman Chase in February 2021.

Strong stayer Win My Wings makes her debut at this level over fences after a fine second half of last season, when she captured the Eider Chase and bolted up in the Scottish Grand National.

Wide-margin G3 Greatwood Gold Cup winner Paint The Dream completes the field as he steps up to three miles for the first time.

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase – bet365 prices
5/4 Bravemansgame
9/4 Ahoy Senor
5/1 Eldorado Allen
11/1 Secret Investor
16/1 Win My Wings
20/1 Sam Brown
100/1 Paint The Dream
Each-way ¼ 1,2

Unexposed hurdler Sporting John faces five rivals in the G2 bet365 Hurdle (3.00pm) as he looks to put down an early season marker for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The G1-winning chaser has been successful on five of his seven starts over the smaller obstacles for Philip Hobbs, most recently landing a Pertemps Qualifier at Warwick in January.

Indefatigable is aiming for back-to-back victories in the three-mile contest after beating Proschema 12 months ago. Following a similar preparation to last year, the nine-year-old mare finished fifth in a conditions race on the Flat at Pontefract earlier this month.

Trainer Paul Webber said: “The race at Pontefract was ideal for Indefatigable. She has been very well since and appears to have tightened up from it. She schooled nicely on Monday under her jockey Rex Dingle.

“Looking at the race, Sporting John could be improving, and I think we are worse off at the weights with Proschema and Thomas Darby from last year, but at least we have had a prep run which can be such a benefit.

“The mares allowance is always a help, although I will be hoping that the rain stays away.”

Thomas Darby finished fourth last year before going on to take the G2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, while Coral Gold Cup hopefuls Threeunderthrufive and Oscar Elite also line up.

bet365 Hurdle – bet365 prices
6/4 Sporting John
3/1 Indefatigable
7/2 Proschema
6/1 Threeunderthrufive
10/1 Thomas Darby
20/1 Oscar Elite
Each-way ¼ 1,2

Elsewhere on the card, Molly Ollys Wishes aims for a repeat win in the Listed bet365 Mares’ Hurdle (2.25pm) for the Skeltons.

The bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting begins on Friday, October 28, when the highlights are the Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase and Listed Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle.

The going at Wetherby is Good to Soft, Good in places.

For more information, please contact, Jonjo Sanderson, Chief Executive & Clerk of the Course, Wetherby Racecourse & Conference Centre, on 01937 543344 or 07831 437453