Wetherby racecourse hosts the bet365 Charlie Hall meeting on Friday and Saturday this weekend with top-class contests throughout including the Grade 2 Hurdle and Charlie Hall Chase.

Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.

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Charlie Hall meeting racing tips

Mares’ Hurdle
1.50: Luccia 5/6 (1.5pts)

bet365 Hurdle
2.22: Strong Leader 7/4 (2pts)

Charlie Hall Chase
2.58: Gerri Colombe 9/2 (1pt)

Luccia

Luccia has seemed to really improve after winning in December of last year at Ascot in Grade 3 company she went on to go a close third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.

It wasn’t quite on the cards that she’d run that well as the 33/1 shot and confirmed that ability when a decent enough fourth of eight in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle a month later.

She comes up against the five-year-old promising mare, Brighterdaysahead, trained by Gordon Elliott.

The Gigginstown House-owned horse was a narrow second at Cheltenham Festival in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle when 5/6 favourite, but went on to score the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in style.

Over an even 2m though Luccia, who will have likely improved even further over the summer will be tough to beat, with her speed and grit while only giving away 1lb to the Grade 1 winner.

Her form to go close to the likes of State Man and compete with the likes of Langer Dan, Bob Olinger and the winner at Aintree, Impaire Et Passe.

Strong Leader

This looks to be a great renewal of the Grade 2 bet365 hurdle, with Strong Leader at the front of the betting.

The seven-year-old, trained by Olly Murphy is very unexposed still especially over this trip.

His first hurdle contest over 3m was at Cheltenham in January in the Cleeve Hurdle where he was only just beaten by Noble Yeats and Paisley Park in a thrilling finish.

Under Gavin Sheehan and at 11/1 he placed ahead of Dashel Drasher, Champ, and Botox Has who have top form over this distance.

Clearly, the step up in trip was the perfect decision from the trainer and connections.

He bypassed Cheltenham Festival but reappeared at Aintree in the Liverpool Hurdle and won by over four lengths.

Just like Luccia, he will have had the time over the summer to improve further and if that’s the case he should win this comfortably.

Gwennie May Boy is one that should be considered for the future as there’s no telling where his ceiling of ability reaches just yet.

Gerri Colombe

The Charlie Hall Chase may be a Grade 2 but it’s attracted all the very best of chasers and may as well be a top Grade 1 with the lineup expected on Saturday.

Bravemansgame could well lineup amongst the field for his first outing of the season but has yet to win since the King George in 2022, but has placed second on four occasions close up in other graded contests, including in this last year behind Gentlemansgame.

He certainly improved after in the King George VI Chase in 2023 but was denied by an incredible run by Hewick.

Grey Dawning could be going up in trip to 3m again which wasn’t the route at Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, but was clearly the right choice as the grey stormed home to win the Turners Novices’ Chase over 2m4f.

His ability over 3m has always been there and I’d tipped him in the antepost rather hopefully for that meeting to opt for the Broadway Novices’ Chase.

So he appeals greatly as another unexposed sort over this distance, especially after a dominant performance over 3m at Warwick in January beating Apple Away by 14 lengths.

But the test will be how he fares, if he does go into this race, up against the likes of Hewick, Conflated and Gerri Colombe.

However, I think it’s time for the latter to continue his consistency over this distance, Gerri Colombe, who was a very good second in the Gold Cup to Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham before going on to win ahead of Ahoy Senor at Aintree.

Which is a bit of a theme here to go for the Grand National Festival winners, but his form seemed to improve last year but rather under the radar as he had to take on the multiple Gold Cup winner.

Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss

October ’24: +21.57

From May ’24: +155.99pts

From July ’23: +368.55pts

All odds correct at time of writing

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