Horses to follow at Wetherby
Racing fans can look forward to a thrilling weekend at Wetherby, as the course hosts a taste of top-class National Hunt action with the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase and the West Yorkshire Hurdle. The Charlie Hall Chase, in particular, has long been a key early-season indicator for potential Cheltenham Festival. Gold Cup contenders, with previous winners including stars such as Bravemansgame and Cue Card. This year’s renewal promises to be another fascinating contest, and I’ll be taking a closer look at this race, along with several others in this week’s Horses to Follow and
Horse Racing Tips
feature.
WILSTAR THE PICK OF TWO PROMISING TYPES
12:40pm 2m - 6 horses Challenge At bet365 Novices' Hurdle (Go North Night Nurse Series Qualifier) (Gbb Race) (Class 3)
The first to catch the eye in this novice hurdle is Kadastral, representing the ever-potent Dan and Harry Skelton team. A smart bumper performer last season, he shaped well when runner-up on debut at Newbury before readily going one better at Kempton on good ground. That form has worked out encouragingly, Talk The Talk, who finished second that day, scored on his first start over hurdles, while the fifth and even the seventh have since been successful, giving the race a solid look. The only small concern would be that a few from the Skelton yard have been improving for their first outing of the season, but Kadastral’s bumper form suggests he’s a horse of real potential and he should be very competitive if fit enough.
Wilstar, from the in-form Olly Murphy yard and partnered by Sean Bowen, looks the main danger, and perhaps the one to side with. Like Kadastral, he was narrowly denied on debut before running out a convincing winner next time at Perth, a venue where these connections often strike. The form of that success is also stacking up nicely, he beat Joeybottles who is well regarded by the Greenall and Guerriero team, and several of the placed horses have either won or gone close since.
All things considered, this looks between the two promising types, but with Murphy’s string flying and the Skeltons’ horses often improving for a run, Wilstar just gets the nod as the selection. Wether either can put up any sort of performance to be talked about for the big spring festivals time will tell but it's certainly a nice little battle early on this Saturday card.
Horse to follow: Wilstar
Odds: 5/4 with
BetMGM
Katiera can upset warm favourite Golden Ace in tactical three-runner affair
1:50pm 2m - Bet365 mares' Hurdle (Listed Race) (Gbb Race) (Class 1)
This year’s renewal has unfortunately cut up to just three runners, but what the field lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality, with three talented mares set to line up. Golden Ace, last season’s Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle winner, returns as a short-priced favourite. She was admittedly fortunate that day, benefiting from late drama, and although she clearly possesses plenty of ability, her price looks on the skinny side in such a small and tactical contest. Dysart Enos was once held in the highest regard and was well fancied for last season’s Greatwood Hurdle, but things haven’t gone to plan since. Two runs on the Flat in the summer raised eyebrows, and she has yet to rediscover her best form. She’s hard to trust at present and makes limited appeal from a betting perspective.
That leaves Katiera, who could be the value play. The Dan and Harry Skelton team have an excellent record in this race, having won three of the last four renewals as well as the 2016 edition. While a few of the yard’s runners have needed their first outing this autumn, Katiera looks a likely type to go well fresh, and in a small field where tactics will prove crucial, she’s a fair alternative to the short-priced favourite. This will definitely be a fascinating tactical battle despite the small field and Katiera can extend the Skeltons’ fine record in this event at the expense of odds-on favourite Golden Ace.
Horse to follow: Katiera
Odds: 10/3 with
BetMGM
Take No Chances fancied to outbattle Strong Leader in small but select field
2:22pm 3m - Bet365 Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The West Yorkshire Hurdle) (Gbb Race) (Class 1)
Another small field for this year’s renewal of the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle, but as ever, the quality is there in abundance. Potters Charm was one of last season’s talking horses, winning four of his six starts, including the Grade 1 Formby at Aintree. He now faces his first real test in open company and steps up to three miles for the first time under rules following a wind operation. While he remains a highly promising type, this looks a stiff enough task on seasonal return, and he’s one to keep onside for later in the campaign rather than today. Veteran Winter Fog looks up against it at the age of 11, and Doddiethegreat would need to produce a clear career-best effort to feature. That narrows the focus to Strong Leader and Take No Chances. The former, representing Olly Murphy, has plenty of class and goes well fresh, but he concedes 7lb to a very capable rival and might just be vulnerable on his first start in 210 days.
Take No Chances, meanwhile, looks the one to beat. She won the mares’ Grade 2 on this very card last year and returns with the benefit of a recent run, which could prove decisive given the small field. Her connections had the option of running in the mares’ race again, where she would likely have been hard to beat, so her presence here speaks volumes about her progress and the potential of Katieras chances as well. After that Wetherby success last season, she maintained a high level of form throughout the campaign, notably lowering the colours of eventual Cheltenham Festival County Hurdle winner Kargese at Ascot. Proven at and beyond this trip, and sure to be primed for the occasion, she holds major claims of adding another graded success to her record.
Overall it's a fascinating early-season pointer for the staying hurdlers’ division or potential races like the Coral Cup where last seasons winner ended up. For me Take No Chances has the benefit of race fitness and a strong course record and is fancied to get the better of Strong Leader.
Horse to follow: Take No Chances
Odds: 9/2 with
BetMGM
The Real Whacker to regain his crown.
2:57pm 3m - Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1)
I'm siding with The Real Whacker this weekend, and it’s easy to see why. He won this race last year, and it’s clearly his “Gold Cup”, the one his season is built around. He’s already had a prep run over hurdles to bring him to peak fitness, just as he did twelve months ago, before comfortably seeing off Bravemansgame. This year’s renewal looks competitive on paper, but several rivals come with questions to answer. The Gordon Elliott chasers are being kept for Down Royal, which immediately thinned the field. Protektorat is a quality performer but tends to prefer softer ground and may well need the outing. Pic D’Orhy doesn’t convince as a strong stayer beyond 2m5f, and at 3m here, he’s likely to get found out. Djelo is in a similar boat, probably better with cut in the ground and not as proven a stayer as The Real Whacker. His win over just shy of three miles came against Hitman, and we know that horse’s limitations over staying trips. Ga Law looks more likely to be using this as a prep for another tilt at the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
That leaves Hewick as the main potential danger. He enjoys decent ground and stays well, much like The Real Whacker, and he too has had a prep run. However, his jumping can be his undoing, and he’s prone to the odd mistake. He can also find himself tapped for toe when the pace quickens, and it’s worth noting he hasn’t actually won over fences since the 2023 King George, a race that rather fell into his lap. At ten years old, he’s one I’m prepared to take on.
All things considered, The Real Whacker looks the bet again. With conditions to suit, a perfect preparation, and a race that has cut up slightly, he should be primed to defend his title and yes he does have to concede a 6lb penalty to Protektorat and Hewick but I think he'll be primed enough to win this once again off the front end, kick on and not be caught. Usually we'd be talking this race up for a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival Gold Cup but in all honesty I'm not sure any of these could be up to that level.
Horse to follow: The Real Whacker
Odds: 11/2 with
BetMGM
Every week I will be analysing the weekends
horse racing betting
and comparing the
latest betting odds
and finding us the best value horse racing tips for the weekend. As well as that I will be aiming to identify potential horses from the same weekends action that may go onto to make big impacts in the big spring festivals such as the
2026 Cheltenham Festival.
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