Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase preview: Eight stand their ground
Cyrname and Paisley Park are among the big names entered at Wetherby on Saturday.
bet365 Charlie Hall Chase entries
Last year’s winner Cyrname tops eight entries for Saturday’s bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.
Paul Nicholls’ charge belied fears he needed to go right-handed when slamming Vinndication in the 2020 renewal but pulled-up on both subsequent starts in the King George at Kempton and the Betfair Ascot Chase.
Fusil Raffles could step up to three miles at the West Yorkshire track although he holds an alternative entry at Ascot on the same afternoon – as does Grade One winner Shan Blue for the Skeltons.
However he is an intended runner at Wetherby, Dan Skelton saying: "Shan Blue is in great order and the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase has been on his radar since the beginning of the season. He also has an entry in the handicap at Ascot, but the full intention is to run at Wetherby provided the ground is OK, because he has a good record around there.
“Cyrname has obviously achieved far more than we have in the past but that was the past and this is the present. Young horses have to take on the older horses at some point. It won’t be easy, of course it won’t, but that is where we are with this horse, and I am delighted he is able to take part in races like this.”
Course specialist Top Ville Ben is on target to run for the Phil Kirby team, while Betway Bowl runner-up Clondaw Castle could represent Tom George.
Chilli Filli, Kitty’s Light and Mighty Thunder complete the potential line-up.
Star stayers set for bet365 Hurdle clash
Paisley Park and Lisnagar Oscar, previous winners of the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, could clash in the bet365 Hurdle.
The former won the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last term before finishing third behind Flooring Porter at Prestbury Park. Lisnagar Oscar fell at the seventh in that race.
Trainer Emma Lavelle said: “Paisley Park is good and the idea is to start off at Wetherby provided the ground is on the slow side. He has been in brilliant form since he has come back in. He seems really well in himself and has done everything we have asked of him.
“He came in a little earlier this season with a view to getting him out earlier and he is definitely ready to run this weekend as long as the ground is suitable. There is rain forecast later in the week, so fingers crossed it arrives.”
Thomas Darby was placed in the Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring, while Younevercall landed the Grade Two Select Hurdle at Sandown.
Master Tommytucker could switch back to timber for the Paul Nicholls team with the entries completed by Ask Dillon, Indefatigable, Molly Ollys Wishes, Proschema, Run For Oscar, Slate House and The Worlds End.
Rain is on the way
While rain is forecast towards the end of the week at Wetherby, it would be most welcome.
Clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: “We’re due heavy rain Thursday and into Friday morning, but once that has passed through it looks dry.
“They are saying there could be up to 15-20 millimetres in that band, which would be most welcome.
“We’re finishing off a second cycle of irrigation today, so it will have had nigh on an inch of water since Thursday-Friday.
“Tomorrow we’ll take a look and see what that rain looks like – if it’s disappeared or halved or whatever – and we’ll decide whether to water again.
“We’ve pretty much got the full range of good ground, good to soft down the back and and bit quicker up the home straight – but it’s been like that since the (configuration) change many years ago.”
The anticipated return of Cyrname will be an obvious highlight at the weekend.
Sanderson added: “It’s nice to see Cyrname back again for the Charlie Hall.
“The (entry) numbers are about what we’d expect, but the hurdle race numerically looks stronger than usual – which is great to see.
“With two previous Stayers’ Hurdle winners in there, hopefully at least one of them will run.”
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