There should be plenty of pointers for the future as Wetherby’s two-day bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting gets underway on Friday, October 29.
The action is headlined by two Listed contests – the Cash Out At bet365 Handicap Chase (3.50pm) and the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle (3.15pm).
Trainer Henry Oliver is hoping The Big Bite can make a successful return to action in the Cash Out At bet365 Handicap Chase over just shy of two and a half miles.
Formerly trained by Tom George, The Big Bite made a winning debut for Oliver at Aintree last season and looked set for victory in Newbury’s G3 Greatwood Gold Cup but for almost running out after the final fence.
Oliver said: “The Big Bite has had a similar preparation to this time last year and wouldn’t be far off where he was before winning at Aintree.
“Johnny [Burke, jockey] schooled him last week and he jumped lovely. He goes well fresh and I would be very hopeful of a big run.
“This trip around Wetherby for a first start of the season will be absolutely ideal, although we have it in our minds to try him over further this season.
“We felt it was worth giving him an entry in the Ladbrokes Trophy, just to keep our options open, and we’ll see how things unfold.”
Three of the 11 contenders are entered in next month’s G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup, including top-weight Magic Saint for Paul Nicholls. Laskalin and Galahad Quest, trained by Venetia Williams and Nick Williams respectively, also hold entries in the Cheltenham showpiece.
Dan and Harry Skelton team up with second season chaser Eclair D’Ainay, while Whoshotthesheriff is aiming to follow up his win in the Bobby Renton Handicap Chase at Wetherby’s opening fixture on October 13.
Exciting French import Porticello makes his first appearance for Gary Moore in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle.
The son of Sholokov won a newcomers’ hurdle at Auteuil in April and the form of that win has received a couple of significant boosts this month. Runner-up Magistrato won impressively at Chepstow for Paul Nicholls, while the third Imprenable was narrowly beaten in a G2 contest back at Auteuil.
Moore said: “Porticello is a great, big horse and I can’t believe he was able to win at Auteuil in April as a three-year-old.
“He goes nicely, although he would not be the flashiest work horse. Hopefully, he shows more on the racecourse than he does at home.
“He was pretty expensive and the form of his win in France obviously looks pretty good. I just hope he lives up to his reputation.”
Too Friendly and Oceanline meet again after contesting a juvenile hurdle at Stratford on October 4, when Too Friendly prevailed by a length and a quarter.
In what looks a strong contest, the five remaining runners – Addosh, Battle Angel, Genuflex, Keepyourdreamsbig and Sacre Pierre – have all been successful over hurdles this season.
Earlier on the card, Ahoy Senor makes his debut over fences in the three-mile bet365 Novices’ Chase (2.05pm) for Lucinda Russell.
The six-year-old is a hugely exciting recruit to this sphere having ended last season with a seven-length defeat of Bravemansgame in the G1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
The bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting continues on Saturday, October 30, when the highlights are the £100,000 G2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase and the £50,000 G2 bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle.
The going at Wetherby is Good, with between 15mm and 20mm of rain forecast for Thursday night and into Friday morning.