Charlie Hall Chase Guide

The eight year old started last season perfectly by ending the mighty Altior's 19 race unbeaten run in the Grade Two 1965 Christy Chase which saw the Paul Nicholls' star raised to a new rating of 178 after his performance in a first-time Grade One field, which has only been bettered by seven horses since the turn of the century

After that he was a disappointing second in the King George when not staying the trip and having fell last time out when the strong favourite to land back to back renewals of the Ascot Chase Nicholls is lucky to see him back for another season

The Son of Nickname although falling would not have won the contest having dropped back through the small field near the finish and overall did not show the true Cyrname at his home track.

Now back for a new season, only his performance on Saturday will tell us what horse he still is after his fall, but the Ditcheat yard have explained he is back in good form.

The seven year old for Kim Bailey was only seen twice last season with his run at Ascot shaking up the handicap chasing division with how classy a performance it was.

He then went to Cheltenham where he was sent off favourite for the Ultima Handicap and although running a cracker, could only finish fourth of the 23 runners.

He is back for another term on Saturday and having snubbed the Sodexo Gold Cup where he won on seasonal debut last season, his yard must think he is flying at home to take on this Grade Two on his first outing.

He has always been a consistent runner for the yard and it would not be a surprise to see him go close.

The eight year old trained by Jedd O'Keefe has been out of the sport for some time last being seen in December 2019 at Doncaster landing the Grade Two Novices' Chase.

The gelding has been a superb yardstick for O'Keefe over both hurdles and fences, having been runner up at in the 2019 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and since stepping up to Fences and handling them really well being unbeaten on all three of his starts including the Grade Two Novices' Chase at Doncaster.

The team have been taking it fairly easy with the Caron and Paul Chapman owned horse after his injury which saw him pick up a problem with his Pelvis, but over the last few weeks he has been schooling and O’Keeffe has explained he is ready to put his unbeaten record on the line.

A proven stayer over both hurdles and fences, this runner can't be discounted on Saturday having won over course and distance last term.

Ballyoptic has been a superb veteran for the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard over the years and having won this race last year, he could run another cracker if being just as good.

The 10 year old has not been seen since February when landed the Listed Swinley Chase At Ascot and although being poor at Aintree and Haydock before that run he was superb at the start of his last campaign.

The gelding is a proven stayer having won on his first two starts last term and getting his favoured soft ground on Saturday could make him a player.

Brian Ellison's stable star Definitely Red is said to be bouncing ahead of his run on Saturday and although now 11 years of age, could throw up a surprise.

Having struggled in this race last term, he went to Aintree and finished a good fourth in the Grade Three Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree.

He got better and better as the season went on, finishing second in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at Haydock and then got off the mark for the season last time out at Kelso in the Listed Premier Chase.

This race is not beyond him but he will have to be much better than he was in the race last term.

Keeper Hill would need a career best performance to go close here with the nine year old although being mostly consistent does not look good enough for this level.

Last season the McNeill owned horse ran four times, winning once and placed in another event, but when properly tested in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham he fell short.

He was last seen finishing third of seven runners at Musselburgh in a Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle and stepping back up to this sphere chasing makes him opposable.

Mister Whitaker has been a nice horse for Mick Channon landing the 2018 Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase, but since then has not been as good and this event looks beyond him now.

The eight year old has been seen the last five times at Cheltenham and having won in April last year, he has struggled for form since.

Last time out he was seen finishing third in the Brown Advisory Plate behind Simply The Betts and although that was a much better performance it is not good enough form to get involved here.

One of jumps racings great race mares La Bague Au Roi is having her final season in the sport and will need a miracle off the back of her seasonal debut to go close in this one.

The nine-year-old began her season at Perth in the Weatherbys Racing Bank David Whitaker Handicap Chase with a step back up to three miles looking to get the best out of the Grade One winning mare.

Although for most of the race she jumped well and was in contention, she faded late on and was lucky not to unseat Richard Johnson at the last.

She looks to have let age get the better of her and having been pulled up in the event last season, she is a double figured price for a reason.

One of the big outsiders in the event is the Harriet Graham tried Aye Right who made a fair seasonal debut at Kelso at the start of the month, but on his all time form has something to find.

The seven year old son of Yeats finished second in a Handicap Chase at Kelso and that form has been franked with winner Nuts Well going on to win the Grade Two Old Roan Chase last time out.

Although that looks strong form, he is stepping up massively in trip to three miles and in the past he has shown his best runs have come over shorter.

He was a long way fifth in the Grade One RSA Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and some of the horses in this race are at the same level as the runners who finished ahead of him.

The final runner of the Grade Two event is the Richard Hobson trained Saint Xavier who is the big 80/1 outsider and having been pulled up last time out, you can see why.

The eight year old has some fair form in weak events, but being thrown into a Grade Two with the highest rated chaser on the planet looks an odd entry and he is opposable.