West Yorkshire has received its fair share of rain courtesy of Storm Ciaran and Wetherby racecourse is no exception.
The course hosts the first graded races of the National Hunt season in Britain and hope to get permission to race on Saturday morning. Friday’s fixture was cancelled.
Course officials admit they are playing “a waiting game” calling a 7am inspection ahead of the track’s most high-profile fixture of the season.
The Gr2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (17h00) run over 3 miles sees a small field of four go to post. Small in numbers, but high on quality, with Gold Cup runner-up and defending champ Bravemansgame topping the boards.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls always targets this race, having won it five times and Bravemansgame looks hard to beat with conditions to suit.
Ahoy Senor is next best on official ratings (3lbs worse off) and this game front-runner will ensure that the favourite does not have things all his own way. He gave the mighty Shishkin a run for his money in the Aintree Bowl in April and runs well fresh.
Irish raider Gentlemansgame has had a run this season finishing runner-up to Easy Game on heavy ground at Gowran Park in September. Race fitness gives him a chance, but Bravemansgame looks the real deal.
Earlier on the card, the veteran front-runner Dashel Drasher could be hard to catch in the Gr2 bet 365 Hurdle (16h25) over 3 miles. He loves soft ground and is fancied to prevail over race favourite Thyme Hill who should complete the exacta.
