The Real Whacker looking strong for successful defence of Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase
The Real Whacker returns to the scene of one of his finest hours when he defends his bet365 Charlie Hall Chase title at Wetherby today.
Patrick Neville’s nine-year-old secured an emotional victory for Yorkshire when landing the odds 12 months ago and lines up as part of six-strong field for the £100,000 contest this afternoon (2.57).
And the Leyburn-based trainer says he has his charge “even better prepared” than he was last year for the race.
A confident Neville said: “The Real Whacker is in super form. To be honest, I think we have him better prepared this time than he was last year.
“The ground will be fine and we decided to go with a pair of cheekpieces, just to give him a bit extra. Now he is a bit older, he is getting clever!
“I think it is a good, even race this year with an open feel to it.
"You could make a case for most of them but we are not afraid of anyone.
“It would be great if he could win another Charlie Hall.
"There is a big crew coming over from Ireland to support, so hopefully it will be an enjoyable day.”
Former champion jockey Brian Hughes again takes the ride in what looks a hot renewal of Wetherby’s biggest race of the year, having won on him at the first time of asking last November.
The Grade One winner hasn’t tasted victory since, having run creditably to finish fourth in the Group One King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and then fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup – having been pulled up the year before.
The 2023 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner at the Festival is aiming to become only the fourth horse to win successive renewals of Wetherby’s three-mile showpiece, following See More Business, One Man and Celtic Shot.
He started this campaign with a second-placed finish in a Perth Hurdle at the end of September but faces a very strong field today.
There’s plenty of quality among the other five runners, with the Real Whacker conceding 6lb to the Dan Skelton-trained Protektorat, who boasts a trio of top-level victories including the 2022 Betfair Chase and 2024 Ryanair Chase.
He heads the sponsor’s antepost market at 5-2 followed by popular Irish raider Hewick, a former winner of the Galway Plate, American Grand National, King George VI Chase and over £750,000 in prize money for his trainer Shark Hanlon.
Four-time Grade One winner Pic D’Orhy bids to provide Paul Nicholls with a record-equalling sixth Charlie Hall as he goes over three miles for the first time.
The Venetia Williams-trained Djelo registered a pair of Grade Two victories last season, including when beating Protektorat in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon. Ga Law, winner of the 2022 Paddy Power Gold Cup, completes the field for Jamie Snowden.
Meanwhile, Olly Murphy says he “wouldn’t swap” Strong Leader for any of his four rivals in the bet365 Hurdle (2.22).
The eight-year-old has not been seen in competitive action since finishing second to Hiddenvalley Lake when defending his Liverpool Hurdle crown at Aintree in April and makes his reappearance in the Grade Two contest – better known as the West Yorkshire Hurdle.
Murphy said: “He obviously hasn’t been to Wetherby, but a flat left-handed track on good ground is right up his street.
“I have plenty of respect for the Twiston-Davies horse, Dan (Skelton) has got a good mare in there and Willie (Mullins) has got a 150-rated hurdler (Winter Fog) in there as well so it’s not a given, but I wouldn’t swap him.”
Golden Ace looks the one to beat in the bet365 Mares’ Hurdle (1.50).
Although a shock and perhaps fortunate winner of last season’s Champion Hurdle, Jeremy Scott’s charge has proven her quality on several occasions and is well worth her rating of 152, which puts her well clear of her two rivals in the Listed event.