Saturday Jumps Preview: Cue to have been aided by rest

Wetherby stages its flagship Charlie Hall Chase card on Saturday and all eyes will once again be on the very popular Cue Card in thefeature race, a Grade 2 for chasers over three miles. Colin Tizzard’s gelding won the race last year by three and three-quarter lengths from the re-opposing Dynaste and holds very strong claims of repeating the feat. After his winless 2014/15 season, Cue Card actually had three of his six rivals ahead of him on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for last year’s renewal, but it’s a completely different story this time around, with Cue Card 13 lb clear of his nearest form rival Dynaste, even carrying a penalty.

Dynaste has much more to prove this year as he finished well held on six subsequent starts (including back over hurdles) in 2015/16, including when again behind Cue Card in the Bowl at Aintree. Another old favourite, Menorah, was one of those rated higher than Cue Card in last year’s race but he pulled up there, with his jumping defects only partly to blame. He got back on track when winning the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase at Sandown for the third successive year last April and then twice ran with credit in June, but he did make a trademark jumping error at a vital stage in the latter race. The younger brigade include Virak and last season’s likeable RSA winner Blaklion.

While Cue Card’s Gold Cup credentials are once again on the line in the Charlie Hall, Ballyoptic will bid to strengthen his case for the World Hurdle in the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle, also at Wetherby. One of the Timeform Fifty To Follow this jumps season, Ballyoptic made an impressive winning return in the Grade 3 Silver Trophy Handicap at Chepstow earlier this month, completing a four-timer in the process. He’ll need to improve again to beat the likes of former Welsh Champion Hurdle winner Silsol and last season’s Pertemps Final third If In Doubt here, but he’s very much open to further improvement after just four unbeaten outings over timber. Another fascinating runner in the West Yorkshire Hurdle is Native River, though last term’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase winner is reportedly using this race as a warm-up for the Hennessy Gold Cup.

The listed mares’ hurdle on the same card looks tricky to solve, but Malcolm Jefferson’s Card Game shaped as if better for her recent run at Market Rasen and could take her form to a new level. She just about gets the nod from Miss Crick and Midnight Jazz.

There’s also a good-quality jumps card at Ascot, featuring the Grade 3 Sodexo Gold Cup Handicap Chase and two listed races. Saphir du Rheu was among the entries for the West Yorkshire Hurdle, but his connections have chosen the Sodexo Gold Cup instead. His chasing career has been rather stop-start so far, but he’s just about the one to beat on his best form over fences, which includes a wide-margin win in the 2015 Mildmay. Also, don’t forget he went off favourite for last year’s Hennessy off an 11 lb higher mark (finished fifth). Buckhorn Timothy, A Good Skin and Voix d'Eau all made solid returns at Chepstow recently and are players, too, while Tea For Two has something to find with the form principals but clearly remains with potential after just three starts over the larger obstacles (including a win in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ last December).

The two listed handicaps will be popular with punters, too. Yorkist looks a fascinating contender in the chase, having left Micky Hammond for Dan Skelton (a Trainer Uplift on the Timeform Race Card) over the summer, while another horse who has switched stables, Hint of Mint (from Nick Williams to Harry Fry), is one of several to catch the eye in the hurdle race.