'He's giving us all the right signals at home' - can Bravemansgame regain Charlie Hall Chase crown?

Is Bravemansgame a spent force? That is a question that should be answered this weekend because the Charlie Hall Chase provides a golden opportunity for him to record his first win since the 2022 King George.

He won this race en route to victory at Kempton that year and might have landed it last season, too, but for a bad mistake at the last. He was caught on the run-in by the race-fit Gentlemansgame, but reportedly needed the run and will probably be straighter this time.

Bravemansgame has had wind surgery for the third time since his heavy defeat at Aintree in April and is the one to beat, especially with the ground drying to ensure conditions are ideal.

He isn’t the highest-rated in the field, though. That honour goes to Conflated, who finished just a length and a quarter behind Gerri Colombe in the Grade 1 Champion Chase at Down Royal on this day last year and competed solely in the top grade for the rest of the season.

Conflated finished third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham and second in the Melling at Aintree so can still perform to a high level. And he also has a run behind him. However, he unseated rider Jack Kennedy at the first on that occasion at Punchestown 17 days ago.

With Kennedy suspended and Sam Ewing — who rode Conflated twice last season and when he finished third in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, partnering Gerri Colombe in the Down Royal feature, Danny Gilligan comes in for the ride. The drying ground is no problem, so it’s difficult to understand why there is such a big difference in price between him and Bravemansgame. They have a similar chance.

At longer odds don’t discount Hang In There, who has been running well under big weights in handicaps this summer and therefore comes here hard fit. He has the third highest BHA rating in the field and might be capable of springing a surprise if his rivals are short of fitness.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Ground and weather

The ground was changed from good, good to soft in places to good after the third race of the track's meeting on Friday and clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: "There is no rain forecast and we don't expect much change."

Paul Nicholls aiming for record-equalling sixth win with Bravemansgame

You can always rely on a 14-time champion to bring a bit of quality to the first big chase of the autumn.

Paul Nicholls has won the Charlie Hall Chase five times and each of his winners scored before or afterwards in Grade 1 company.

See More Business landed a Cheltenham Gold Cup and two King George VI Chases, Silviniaco Conti another two King Georges and Cyrname an Ascot Chase.

And Bravemansgame followed the well-trodden from success here in 2022 to triumph at Kempton on Boxing Day.

He has not won since but he might have given his trainer a record-equalling sixth Charlie Hall had he not made a mistake at the last fence and had to settle for second place last year.

The nine-year-old went on to finish second again in the King George but was then below his best in the Gold Cup and in the Bowl at Aintree and has had a wind operation.

Nicholls said on his Betfair blog: "It all went wrong for Bravemansgame last season when ground conditions were against him for every start. I also felt his breathing was becoming a bit of an issue so we decided to re-cauterise his palate in the summer.

"He's giving us all the right signals at home and seems right back to his best physically and mentally. He enjoyed an away day last week with Ginny's Destiny and his schooling has been as good as ever.

"We've done lots with him, he's ready to go and ground conditions at Wetherby are ideal for him unlike last year when soft ground didn't help when he was narrowly beaten by Gentlemansgame. He's got a lot in his favour and won this race tidily two years ago."

What they say

Emma Lavelle, trainer of Hang In There
He's had another good summer and he's entitled to have a go. It's not going to be easy but he does have a liking for the ground and match-fitness so we'll see how far that can take us.

Anthony Honeyball, trainer of Sam Brown
He's ready to get started and there aren't many options for him. He's run quite well in this before, he had a cracking season last season and he seems in very good form.

Patrick Neville, trainer of The Real Whacker
We were disappointed at Listowel as we had him fairly ripe for the day. We will never know what would have happened but it looked like he was going to run a good race. We are looking forward to it as the ground will be to his liking. It looks a fair line-up but we are happy enough to take them on.
Reporting by David Carr

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