15:20 Wetherby

Saturday 31 October 2020

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:55

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 6m 26.47s

Ballyoptic^t²⁵⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 163| CD

9/1

Won this race last year and signed off last season on a positive note with victory in valuable handicap chase at Ascot (3m, heavy) in February. Likely to give it another good shot.

Form: F/11401-

Cyrname^t²⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 176| BF

3/1

Things didn't go to plan after his defeat of Altior on last year's reappearance but he's undoubtedly a top-class chaser on his day and will be tough to beat if bouncing back to anywhere his best.

Form: 711/12F-

Definitly Red²⁴⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 160| CD

12/1

Won this in 2018. Only a remote fourth last year but Kelso listed win in February in cheekpieces (off now) suggests he still retains most of his ability despite getting towards the veteran stage.

Form: B/54421-

Vinndication^t²³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 161| BF| D

2/1

Relished step up to 3m when winning on Ascot return last season and returned from another break to finish excellent fourth under big weight in Cheltenham Festival handicap. Goes well fresh. Player.

Form: 1135/14-

Sam Spinner^p³²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 157| CD

6/1

High-class hurdler who made it 3-3 over fences (first 2 here) in Doncaster Grade 2 in December but that race fell apart. Jumping hasn't looked convincing and faces much sterner examination of it now.

Form: 428/111-

Aye Right²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs H O Graham| OR: 146| D

12/1

Going well when unseating on chase bow in Grade 2 won by Sam Spinner last December. Won at Newcastle next time and returned with promising second over inadequate 2m at Kelso. More to come back at 3m.

Form: 12U15-2

Keeper Hill²⁷²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: W Greatrex| OR: 152| D

50/1

Has a smart level of ability but best efforts over fences have come in small fields which haven't placed much pressure on his suspect jumping. Will need to cut out the errors to play prominent role.

Form: 03/1P23-

Mister Whitaker^p²³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: M R Channon| OR: 153

25/1

Smart chaser with a very good Cheltenham record, including third in Plate at the Festival in March. Can go well fresh but stamina a doubt having run below par on both previous attempts around 3m.

Form: 4P1/5P3-

Saint Xavier^t¹⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: R Hobson| OR: 150

250/1

Pretty useful hurdler/chaser but ran poorly in French Grade 3 chase in June (sole run for Patrice Quinton) and looks to face a very stiff task in this company on his return for another new stable.

Form: 6/7123-P

La Bague Au Roi³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: W Greatrex| OR: 147| BF| C| DWS

10/1

Dual Grade 1 winner as novice. Without a win since but has a few efforts which suggest she retains her ability, including when still bang there until a blunder at last on Perth return. Wind op since.

Form: P335U-4

Forecasts

Vinndication (2/1), Cyrname (3/1), Sam Spinner (6/1), Ballyoptic (9/1), La Bague Au Roi (10/1), Aye Right (12/1), Definitly Red (12/1), Mister Whitaker (25/1), Keeper Hill (50/1), Saint Xavier (250/1)

A race which revolves around CYRNAME, as if he sees out the trip (below-form second in King George sole attempt at 3m) and shows himself to be fully effective on a left-handed track (all best efforts right-handed) then he'll be extremely hard to beat. Vinndication, who goes well fresh, is more than capable of making his mark in open graded company and is next best ahead of 2019 winner Ballyoptic.