Bravemansgame stamped his class on the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, cruising to victory in the hands of Harry Cobden.
Sent off a 2/1 chance in light of strong support for old rival Ahoy Senor, Grade One-winning novice Bravemansgame ultimately proved different class to his rivals, though Ahoy Senor clearly didn't run to form having weakened right out of it in the home straight to end up last of the five runners.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls was landing the Grade Two Wetherby feature for the fifth time in his career and Bravemansgame did so in the manner of the champion trainer's last winner, Cyrname in 2020, jumping neatly throughout and travelling strongly under a confident ride.
Cobden sent him up alongside Sam Brown coming to the third-last and it was as good as over from that point, Bravemansgame able to take the final two fences under very little pressure and come home three and a half lengths to the good over Eldorado Allen, who appeared outpaced turning in, but ran on doggedly to get the better of Sam Brown by half a length in the battle for second.
There was a further nine and a half back to Paint The Dream, with Ahoy Senor adrift and allowed to come home in his own time by Derek Fox.
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Paddy Power cut the winner to 9/4 from 4/1 for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, with Sky Bet going 5/2 about last year's Kauto Star Novices' Chase hero.
Nicholls confirmed the Christmas showpiece is very much the target – and was also in doubt as to the regard in which he holds the winner.
He said: “He as good as any of them (his previous Charlie Hall winners). Cheltenham three and a quarter miles might not be his bag, but to me the King George is absolutely made for him. I’ve left plenty to work on for Kempton and he’s a very smart horse when he’s right.
“He’s one of the best we’ve had on the right track – his record says that, he’s right up there with the best we’ve had.
“You wouldn’t (rule out the Gold Cup) with horses like him, but our aim has been the King George, to get him at his very best for that and after that see where we go.
“He’s the sort of horse that could probably be suited by Leopardstown or Punchestown, there’s some really good races we could go to. I’m not convinced Cheltenham in his track. (But) we’re not thinking about Gold Cups, we’re thinking about the King George.”
He added: “Harry said that was the best feeling he’s ever given him today – he felt he was in third gear all the way round. He jumped and galloped all the way to the line, so onwards and upwards.
“When he’s right he’s a decent horse and I’m learning all the time what to do with him. He doesn’t want to run too often and we need to keep plenty of condition on him.
“He’s won a Kauto Star and a Challow Hurdle and I think that today was probably as good a performance as he’s ever produced.
“The last two weekends he’s worked with Hitman and Monmiral and they both struggled to work with him, so he’s obviously got that bit of class. Ahoy Senor obviously didn’t run his race today for whatever reason, but our performance was just what we wanted to see.”
🤑 A cracking afternoon for readers of Ben Linfoot's ITV Tips - with 4⃣ winners tipped on a super Saturday!
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) October 29, 2022
✅ 2:05 Ascot: HIGHWAY ONE O TWO - 15/2
✅ 2:25 Wetherby - MOLLY OLLYS WISHES - 15/8
✅ 3:00 Wetherby - PROSCHEMA - 9/2
✅ 3:35 Wetherby - BRAVEMANSGAME - 2/1 pic.twitter.com/dPnAsay3rk
Cobden was similarly impressed, saying: “He jumped great, did everything right and won nicely.
“He was cantering upsides in front and has probably idled a bit when he got there. He’s not a horse who is going to go and win by 20 lengths.
“That was the best feel he’s given me for a long time. We were all a bit disappointed after Aintree, but he was over the top and wasn’t right – I knew that after three fences.
“I don’t think Ahoy Senor performed as well as he could and should have done, but the race was there to be won and our horse did it well."
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