David Ord has a horse-by-horse guide to Saturday's bet365 Charlie Hall Chase and a selection for the Wetherby feature too.
DJELO
Enjoyed a good 2024/2025, winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon and Denman at Newbury, beating Hitman by three-and-a-half lengths in the latter.
He has a tremendous record fresh and is unexposed over three miles and while he probably wants the top end of the rain that is forecast to arrive overnight Friday, he looks overpriced right now.
GA LAW
Ran a cracker to finish second in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last season but was ultimately winless in a seven-race campaign. Smart on his day, but others just look more solid.
HEWICK
Remarkable ten-year-old who returned with victory over timber at Thurles. Went down all guns blazing when touched off by Envoi Allen in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on this weekend last year and has an engagement in the race this time around too.
That was his stand-out effort over fences of the last campaign and would put him right in the mix in this if – A, he turns up here, and B, is in the same form.
PIC D’ORHY
Deadly around Ascot on his day but has form elsewhere too, the problem is all of it is at trips short of this three miles. He may well stay but that has to be taken on trust but he’s another who is very good first-time-out as a general rule.
PROTEKTORAT
He’s been installed as favourite and handed out a thumping to Djelo in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor last season, albeit with the runner-up someway short of his best.
He finished second to Venetia Williams’ charge in the Peterborough Chase earlier in the campaign and chased home Jonbon in his final start at Aintree. A proven Grade One chaser, he looks sure to be fully tuned up for a valuable pot on his return.
THE REAL WHACKER
Won this last year and kept good company thereafter, finishing fourth in the King George, fifth in the Gold Cup and fourth in the Aintree Bowl. Arrives here after a pipe-opener over hurdles at Perth but will probably need to produce a career-best to go back-to-back at the weekend.
CONCLUSION:
Protektorat heads the market and looks a more solid option than Pic D’Orhy at this trip but DJELO rates the bet.
His form tailed off in the spring but he has a fantastic record fresh and was much too good for the market leader in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon. He probably wants all the forecast rain to arrive but at the prices is worth chancing
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