The Charlie Hall Chase betting tips on offer for the extended 3m Grade 2 feature contest at Wetherby on Saturday, 3 November at Horsebetting.com say Black Corton is the value bet as he loves good ground. King George VI Chase runner-up Double Shuffle is feared most. Definitly Red was third in this race last year for Yorkshire handler Brian Ellison, so is solid each-way value to make the frame again. Our 2018 Charlie Hall Chase betting tips preview has all you need to know about these horses’ hopes of victory.Black Corton the Charlie Hall choiceDitcheat handler Paul Nicholls has won the 3m Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby three times before; so, as this year’s renewal has cut up, Black Corton is strongly fancied to make a winning reappearance in the feature race on Saturday (14:40) now returned to a sounder surface. The seven-year-old was one of last season’s major success stories under plucky rider Bryony Frost.
Black Corton has won eight of his 13 starts over fences, including the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton over Christmas, and finished second on three other occasions. His progress from summer jumper to an elite chaser also saw him land the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot by eight lengths from ultra-tough staying mare Ms Parfois.
That previous festive Grade 1 glory saw Black Corton reverse the form of the John Francome Novices’ Chase from the Winter Carnival at Newbury. He is clearly a horse that you write off at your peril, but had admittedly had a lot of racing by the time the spring festivals came around.
Despite that and the very soft going, Black Corton was far from disgraced when beaten 17 1/2 lengths and fifth to Presenting Percy in the RSA Chase. Although then a 31-length fourth to Terrefort in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree, this is easier and he’s racing off 2lb lower than his last winning mark here.
With some of the top chasers swerving the Charlie Hall because of ground concerns and alternative targets, it would be no surprise to see Black Corton back in the winners enclosure. He thus rates the value bet to land the spoils under a jockey he clearly gets on with, and heads our 2018 Charlie Hall Chase betting tips.Double Shuffle the dangerGiven he receives weight all-round, Double Shuffle actually comes out top on adjusted ratings in a what is now a weak-looking renewal compared to the five-day entries. Trained by Tom George, the eight-year-old enjoyed his finest hour last Christmas when beaten only a length by Might Bite in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and on that form is feared most.
Double Shuffle clearly outran his massive odds then, and bookmakers are taking no chances with Adrian Heskin’s ride here. It was not the strongest of King Georges (much like this race), so in receipt of 6lb from Definitly Red, who is the highest rated, he is actually 4lb well-in on that one.
The only negatives with Double Shuffle are he is clearly better going right-handed and has only won two of his 16 starts over fences – both of those in lower class handicaps. This demands a lot more than that, but in the absence of last year’s Charlie Hall hero Bristol De Mai and the mighty Thistlecrack because of the ground he has a chance of some black type at the weights.
While Double Shuffle will handle conditions, Black Corton has more scope for improvement and a far better record. In spite of the fact Frost’s mount must give him 3lb and has something to find on official ratings, we are thus keen to take Double Shuffle on.Definitly Red the only alternativeYorkshire trainer Brian Ellison also has a hand to play in last year’s race third Definitly Red. The nine-year-old has a win and two places over course and distance, so given that record at the venue, is an each-way alternative to consider even though bookmakers are only paying on two places.
While Definitly Red was beaten 24 lengths by Bristol De Mai in this 12 months ago, conditions are completely different now. He also came on for that run when landing consecutive Grade 2s in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree and Cotswold Chase on Festival Trials Day.
Although then beaten 39 lengths and sixth to Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and failing to complete in the Betway Bowl back on Merseyside, Definitly Red is now eased in grade. That, coupled with his fine course record, can see him give a better account of himself here and he is the only alternative bet to consider among our 2018 Charlie Hall Chase betting tips.Your Next Bet
