Charlie Hall Chase Tips: Mouse To Conquer Wetherby Again
There is always conjecture about when the National Hunt season officially starts each year, but there is no doubt that once the Charlie Hall Chase has passed, the Jumps is well and truly back! Wetherby's feature race has attracted seven runners in 2024 and Billy Grimshaw has studied the card before giving his best bet...
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The obvious place to start in the 2024 Charlie Hall Chase is the horse I thought was a stone cold certainty last season when a warm favourite, Bravemansgame. Heading into the 2023 race he was coming off the back of a brilliant season, claiming the 2022 King George and running a gallant race in second behind the mighty Galopin Des Champs in that year's Gold Cup. Yes Gold Cups do sometimes bottom horses, but Bravemansgame was still young and was trained by a master in Paul Nicholls, so a big 23/24 was expected. It did not pan out that way.
It would be harsh to say he did not run well at all in the 2023/24 season, he finished second in this race and in the same position in the Betfair on soft when no match for Royale Pagaille and the King George, a race in which connections insist he'd have won had he not been hampered by final fence faller Shishkin. That was his only go on good - his favoured ground - all season and the fact Wetherby looks likely to be good on Saturday will boost the confidence of his backers, but both the stable starting slowly this season and this horse's abject end to last season is enough for me to desert him.
I may regret the decision because a peak Bravemansgame just wins this race and Paul Nicholls is predictably bullish that he has the horse back in flying form to kick off this campaign. The way he fell out of contention at Cheltenham and Aintree with a whimper though, which compared so poorly to his 2023 performances there in the spring, has spooked me and at prohibitively short odds I can't be backing him.
I have a huge affection for grey staying chasers (don't we all) and I cannot wait to see Grey Dawning for team Skelton this year in open company. I don't know if he'll end up a Gold Cup horse, a Ryanair contender or something else but what I do know is he has talent coming out of his ears. There is no doubting the Skelton form to kick 2024/25 off either, they are absolutely flying, but the comments from trainer Dan have made me question whether Grey Dawning will be allowed to take his chance here to start his season on good ground.
If he does line up I'd make him favourite and will probably back him, but Skelton has noted plenty of caution and I can't see where the soft is coming from in the going description unless the groundsman goes mad with the hose. On the basis that last year's Turners winner is out then, who will I be supporting? Last year's winning trainer of course!
Mouse Morris's Gentlemansgame battled brilliantly to take advantage of a rare Bravemansgame jumping error at the last in this race last season and while that horse does not attempt to defend his crown, a horse in the same Robcour colours represneting Morris is here - FRENCH DYNAMITE. He has been no superstar thus far in his career, but I was very taken indeed with his all the way win in a Grade 3 over Hewick and Minella Indo last time out at Punchestown and with racing fitness and - presumably - the early lead on his side I think he can spring a bit of a surprise.
Bravemansgame seemed to me to not want a battle last season and as such he could struggle to rein in a free going French Dynamite if he gets a decent lead, while Conflated was a wonderful animal in his pomp but is eleven now and often takes a few races to really get going. His jumping is also very suspect as he proved when falling last time out. Hang In There and Sam Brown are two veterans with their best days behind them and I can't have them on my mind, while The Real Whacker looks a shadow of the horse who beat Gerri Colombe in the 2023 Browns and lost any trust I had in him when given a seat in the last chance saloon when I backed him for the Kerry National and he ran another stinker. He may be a pace rival early doors for French Dynamite but I'd back Morris's charge to win that battle and also to claim this prize.