Wetherby report and free video replays | Charlie Hall Chase day

Djelo is hot in the Hall

Djelo (11/4) denied a brave Pic D'Orhy in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase to provide trainer Venetia Williams with a first winner of the season.

They were the only two of the five runners to play a significant role in the Grade 2 with Pic D'Orhy, unraced over three miles, leading his rivals a merry dance for much of the contest.

A mistake by the leader at the fourth last suggested his stamina might be ebbing away but the 10-year-old rallied for Harry Cobden and kept battling on.

Djelo always appeared to be travelling the better under Charlie Deutsch but still hadn't got past Pic D'Orhy as they jumped the last where Djelo took a chance; his rival finally giving way on the run to the line, going down by a length with the pair pulling 21 lengths clear of Ga Law in third.

Deutsch told ITV Racing: "Down the back straight he was slightly asleep, he's done it before, he's either hot or cold, he's never warm. I thought 'Harry is travelling well, I'll pull him out just to see a bit of light' and it's lit him up too much.

"Anyway, he's done it well in the end. Up the straight, to be fair, Harry's horse has battled really well and put up a good fight.

"He's a real professional racehorse, he jumped very well, we were very long at the last and he got over! Most horses wouldn't be able to but he threw himself at it and landed on his feet, he just loves the sport, he loves being a racehorse.

"He's a good horse and they do stay. It's surprising because he's quite a hot-head and it would be easy to think he wants two miles the way he acts, he's quite keen all the time, but he stays really well."

A delighted Williams added: "He kind of did that [last fence] at Newbury but as Charlie said, he knows how to get to the other side as rapidly as possible.

"He's two years younger than any other horse in this race; he's an exciting horse. The plan was to come here and we'll think about his next race next. The obvious thing is going back to Huntingdon for the Peterborough and I think that's what we'll do.

"If that goes well, we've got all sorts of interesting races......King Georges....."

Strong at the finish

Strong Leader (15/8) produced a late lunge to win the bet365 Hurdle (registered as the West Yorkshire Hurdle) for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen.

The Grade 1 winner was giving weight away all round in this Grade 2 contest and hit his customary flat spot before the field straightened for home.

The front-runners Doddiethegreat and Take No Chances were still the two to pass with the former running around and doing the latter no favours.

Take No Chances had to be switched and narrowly hit the front after the last only for Bowen and Strong Leader to put in one, last effort and they collared the mare on the line, winning by a neck.

The pair finished a length and a quarter clear of Doddiethegreat while there was disappointment for 13/8 favourite Potters Charm who, after hurdling nine out, lost his footing a few strides after the flight and came down.

Bowen told ITV Racing: "He's bloody lazy! I will be suggesting cheekpieces as soon as I get in today, he's always been that way but the older he's getting, the wiser he's getting. Cheekpieces will just sharpen him up a little bit, he's just very lazy.

"He's a horse with loads of ability and did well to get up. His task was made easier without Potters Charm in it but we went a good, even gallop."

Murphy added on Racing TV: "He [Bowen] knows this lad very, very well and you need to. Not through him being ungenuine but I imagine we'll see something on his head sooner rather than later and whether he had a set of blinkers going to Aintree at the end of the season wouldn't surprise me.

"He dug deep, he hadn't had a run. He had a right good blow and Sean said he'll come forward plenty. He had to half sit on him halfway up the straight. Good performance and a nice pot to win. He's been an absolute star and hopefully he's on for another profitable season."

Ace's poor run explained

Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace was never travelling in the bet365 Mares' Hurdle allowing her sole rival, Kateira (2/1), to jump round to collect the listed prize for Dan and Harry Skelton who just missed out with Take No Chances.

The trainer said: "The last two weeks she's really picked up. She obviously had quite a lot of time off at the turn of the year and I thought I was struggling to get her fit but the last two weeks she's really joined in.

"Take that form with a pinch of salt. For my eyes Golden Ace wasn't going from the first and Lorcan [Williams, jockey of Golden Ace] had to come upsides us to get her going, so she obviously hasn't run anything like hers. Concentrating on ours, I'm really happy with what she has done and she's entitled to step forward a bit.

"She's just one of those honest horses that tries her very best and we're very proud to have her. We might go to Ascot next, a valuable race, a hundred grand, we might give that a poke."

Williams said of Golden Ace: "For three quarters of the race she was travelling really well. She got into a rhythm after knocking the first. Maybe she needed that more than we thought, she's having a very good blow now, and where Harry was filling up and we were keeping the pressure on, she's had a blow and he's quickened up and got away from us and then she's just plugged on to the line.

"We'll give her a MOT once she gets back, go back to the drawing board and come up with a plan."

Trainer Jeremy Scott told the stewards that Golden Ace stopped quickly before later reporting that the mare had scoped dirty post-race.

The Veterinary Officer who examined the mare post-race during routine testing had nothing to report.

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.