Britain’s top-rated chaser Cyrname faces nine rivals in the £70,000 G2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (3.20pm) at Wetherby this Saturday, October 31, day two of the bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting. Cyrname (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) with an official BHA rating of 176 has upwards of 13lb in hand over the opposition, though has yet to prove himself as effective over three miles and on left-handed tracks. The eight-year-old is the 2/1 favourite with bet365.
Top-class hurdler Sam Spinner (Jeff O’Keeffe/Joe Colliver) is the unknown quantity after his unbeaten novice campaign over fences was cut short due to injury. Sam Spinner scored twice over fences at Wetherby last season, including at the bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting, before running away with a G2 event at Doncaster just before Christmas. Trainer Jedd O’Keeffe said today: “Sam Spinner is in really good order. His preparation has gone absolutely to plan, and we are as ready as we want to be for Saturday. “It looks like the ground is going to suit and, although the opposition does look very stiff, it is time to get on with it and find out where we are at with him. “He is short on chasing experience compared to most of them, but the counter to that is that he is still a bit unexposed and we do not know where his ceiling is over fences. “The Gold Cup is obviously something we are thinking about and it would be a great story, but the horse has to go out there and prove himself now.”
The line-up also features the last two winners of the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase in Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies) and Definitly Red (Brian Ellison/Henry Brooke). There have been six dual winners of the race, most recently Ollie Magern in 2005 and 2007. Vinndication (Kim Bailey/David Bass) is another key contender, particularly given his record following a break. The seven-year-old has won first time out in each of the last three seasons.
The mare La Bague Au Roi (Warren Greatrex/Adam Wedge) was a top-class novice during the 2018/19 campaign, landing G1 prizes at Kempton Park and Leopardstown. She has undergone wind surgery since finishing fourth in a handicap chase at Perth on September 23. The 10 runners are completed by Mister Whitaker (Mick Channon/Jonathan Burke), a winner at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018, Keeper Hill (Warren Greatrex/Adrian Heskin), Aye Right (Harriet Graham/Callum Bewley) and Saint Xavier (Richard Hobson/Kielan Woods). Pat Cooney of bet365 said: “It is fair to say we got the headline act we wanted in Cyrname in our bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, with the added bonus of nine other talented rivals making up a classy field of 10. “Locally trained Sam Spinner has been the best backed horse throughout the week, but the interest in Cyrname going left-handed and over three miles will make for both a fascinating betting market and race.”
bet365 Charlie Hall Chase – bet365 prices: 2/1 Cyrname; 100/30 Sam Spinner; 4/1 Vinndication; 6/1 Ballyoptic; 9/1 Definitly Red; 20/1 Keeper Hill, La Bague Au Roi, Mister Whitaker; 40/1 Aye Right; 66/1 Saint Xavier Each 1/5 1,2,3 Wetherby’s seven-race programme also features the £35,000 G2 bet365 Hurdle over three miles (2.45pm), in which Lisnagar Oscar (Rebecca Curtis/Adam Wedge) has his first start since a surprise 50/1 success in the G1 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting begins tomorrow, Friday, October 30, when two Listed prizes take centre stage – the Cash Out At bet365 Handicap Chase (2.10pm, 12 runners, 2m 3f 85y) and the Weatherbys Hamilton Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle (2.45pm, 7 runners, 2m). The going at Wetherby is Good to Soft, with a further band of heavy rain is due to pass through today (circa 7 – 10mm). A dry afternoon is expected for Friday’s card. Further showers are possible on Saturday.
Charlie Hall Chase Winners 2010-2019
2019 Ballyoptic 9 11-0 Sam Twiston-Davies 11/4 (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
2018 Definitly Red 9 11-6 Danny Cook 3/1 (B Ellison)
2017 Bristol De Mai 6 11-6 D A Jacob 6/1 (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
2016 Irish Cavalier 7 11-6 Jonathan Moore 16/1 (Miss Rebecca Curtis)
2015 Cue Card 9 11-0 P J Brennan 11/4Fav (C L Tizzard)
2014 Menorah 9 11-10 R Johnson 8/1 (Philip Hobbs)
2013 Harry Topper 6 11-6 J M Maguire 5/1 (K C Bailey)
2012 Silviniaco Conti 6 11-5 R Walsh 11/10Fav (Paul Nicholls)
2011 Weird Al 8 11-6 T J Murphy 7/1 (Donald McCain)
2010 Nacarat 9 11-0 S Thomas 6/1 (Tom George)
