Bravemansgame was turned over in this last season by the Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame, but will lightning strike twice, but this time with French Dynamite?

The Turners Novices’ Chase winner, Grey Dawning, has been declared here and looks set to add even more depth to what already looks like a vintage renewal of the Charlie Hall Chase.

Here, I will give my thoughts on all five runners and the best online bookmaker to make your bet365 Charlie Hall Chase bet a winning one.

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase runner by runner betting guide

Now it’s time to take a in-dept looking into runners of the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.

3 Bravemansgame

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 4lb
• Form: 22256-
• Rating: 166
• Jockey: Harry Cobden
• Trainer: Paul Nicholls
• Odds: 13/8

The question we have with Bravemansgame is, can he produce the same form that saw him win the 2022 King George VI Chase? I’m not convinced.

On last season’s showing, it’s hard to see that happening.

This once top Grade 1 chase performer looked a shell of his former self last season, even if you take his second-place finish in the 2023 King George into consideration.

On either side of his second place in the King George, he was well beaten by Royal Pagaille in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and then was put in his place by Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup and finished the season off in a whimper behind Gerri Colombe at Aintree.

There are many reasons to take him on at the current prices, and for me, he is a horse whose best days are well behind him and one who is vulnerable to a horse on the up.

He should be up a good showing, but he is to be taken on at his current odds.

A watching brief is on the cards.

If on a going day, he can be bang here
Gets weight off his main rivals

Has not won since 2022
Beaten at short odds in last season’s running of the Charlie Hall
His best days look behind him

Star rating:

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2 Grey Dawning

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 7lb
• Form: 12113-
• Rating: 157
• Jockey: Harry Skelton
• Trainer: Dan Skelton
• Odds: 9/4

The enigmatic grey always looked like he was destined for the top, and he finally put it all together and got on the biggest stage when taking the final running of the Truners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

On the run-up to the Cheltenham Festival, Grey Dawning was beaten on his seasonal return and chase debut last season. Still, he then showed what he was capable of when running away with a graduation chase at Haydock, beating the then National Hunt Chase winner Gaillard Du Mesnil and the highly thought of Apple Away.

A shuttering mistake at the second last cost him at the Cheltenham December meeting, but he was back on track with a 14-length demolition job at Warwick.

He ended the season chasing home Il Etait Temps at Aintree, which is top-class form for me.

The vibes have been strong from the Skeltons, and with more improvement to come from this gorgeous-looking grey, he could be about to set a strong marker down for the season.

For me, he is the one that they all have to beat.

A hugely progressive chaser
Last season’s emphatic Turners Novices’ Chase winner

Beaten on his seasonal return last season

Star rating:

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4 Conflated

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 4lb
• Form: U32-6U
• Rating: 167
• Jockey: Danny Gilligan
• Trainer: Gordon Elliott
• Odds: 5/1

This former high-class Grade 1 winning chaser may be past his best, and even though he is a Grade 1 winner over three miles, this trip seems to stretch him at the highest level.

He has it in him to fight it out at the finish, as it was only last season that he was run out of it inside the final furling in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.

But he has now developed a habit of throwing in race-ending mistakes, and that was on show once again when unseating Jack Kennedy at first at Punchestown.

Since Conflated didn’t even get past the first fence at Punchestown, this can be considered his first run of the season. With his targets likely being over the cross-country course before a final crack at the Grand National, I’m sure Gordon will have left plenty to work with after this run.

If he can keep the errors to a minimum, then he has the ability to put it up to the younger legs here. But the question is, how much of that ability remains at the age of ten?

Has top-class Grade 1 form
Gets weight from his main rivals

Fell on his return
May be past his best

Star rating:

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1 French Dynamite

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 8lb
• Form: 247021
• Rating: 151
• Jockey: Sean Flanagan
• Trainer: Mouse Morris
• Odds: 10/1

Mouse Morris won last season’s running of the Charlie Hall Chase with Gentelmansgame, and just like Gentelmansgame, French Dynamite is underestimated here.

In his younger days, French Dynamire showed the ability to suggest that Grade 1 wins lay ahead in his future, but for one reason or another, it didn’t come to pass.

After his second to Ga Law in the 2022 Paddy Power Gold Cup, he showed little substance of noteworthy form, but he has since shown that the spark was still there with a confidence-boosting second in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran.

It was then at Punchestown that we finally saw the old French Dynamite.

He was well backed before the off, and a dominant front-running ride saw him get the better of former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and current King George winner Hewick.

The only downfall coming in here is that he has to concede up to four pounds to all his rivals, but his latest win may have helped him turn the corner, and if that is the case, 10/1 looks like value here.

There is every chance Mouse Morris could bag himself back-to-back Charlie Hall wins with French Dynamite.

Comes in here on top of his game
Has the ability to win
Has race fitness on his side

Not one to overly trust
Has to give weight away to all his rivals

Star rating:

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7 The Real Whacker

• Age: 8
• Weight: 11st 4lb
• Form: 42P5-U
• Rating: 157
• Jockey: Brian Hughes
• Trainer: Patrick Neville
• Odds: 16/1

Back in 2023, The Real Whacker was beating Gerri Colombe in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but he has never been the same since.

With form figures of P42P5U since his Brown Advisory win, he hasn’t come close to replicating that run since.

Beating Gerri Colombe has clearly left its mark on The Real Whacker, and it is hard to see him having enough to get involved here.

Beat Gerri Colombe at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival

Looks a shell of his former self
Needs a massive turnaround in form to get involved

Star rating:

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5 Hang In There

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 4lb
• Form: 2-2132
• Rating: 159
• Jockey: Joe Anderson
• Trainer: Emma Lavelle
• Odds: 40/1

Hang In There runs in the colours of Paisley Park, a multiple Grade 1 winner. But the comparisons stop there.

Yes, he was a very admirable horse in his day, but at the age of ten, he will need a career best to get involved in the places, let alone fighting it out for the win.

Has had a productive season

Out of his depth

Star rating:

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6 Sam Brown

• Age: 12
• Weight: 11st 4lb
• Form: 45126
• Rating: 156
• Jockey: Rex Dingle
• Trainer: Anthony Honeyball
• Odds: 66/1

As we like to say in the racing world, Sam Brown has been a ‘dude of a horse’ over the years.

At the age of 12, Sam Brown showed no signs of slowing down last season with two wins and an excellent second to Cruz Control at the Aintree Grand National Festival.

This race is likely to be used as a stepping stone towards some of the big veterans’ chases throughout the season, so a clear round is likely all that is on the cards for today.

Showed no signs of slowing down last season

Getting on in years
Hasn’t won at this level since 2020

Star rating:

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bet365 Charlie Hall Chase verdict

This is a cracking renewal of the Charlie Hall Chase, where younger legs should have the final say.

Last season, Grey Dawning showed that he will be a force to be reckoned with in open chases this season, and he can get off to the perfect start today.

French Dynamite showed that he may be back to his old self and can prove the most significant danger to Grey Dawning.

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