Abbey Favourite For Hall Repeat

Grey Abbey is 3-1 favourite with Paddy Power to repeat last year´s victory in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby today.

Howard Johnson´s bold-jumping grey faces a tough task against seven classy rivals, but the 11-year-old was better than ever last term, winning three of his four starts including an emphatic success over First Gold in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree.

He recently demonstrated his well-being with a workout at Newcastle last week when he completed just over a circuit of the track at a good pace.

His regular partner, Graham Lee, will be on board again.

Among the opposition is last season´s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Take The Stand, who begins his campaign over fences in the #75,000 Grade Two contest having had a prep over hurdles last month.

He once again has chasing´s blue riband event as his main target.

Trainer Peter Bowen reports the gelding in 'good form' but he is concerned about the testing conditions at the West Yorkshire track.

He said: 'I was happy with his run over hurdles last time because that was only to tune him up a bit and two and a half miles would be far too short for him.

'It would be better if the rain stayed away. There is nothing wrong with his form on soft ground but he is definitely better on good ground.

'He has handled soft and was unlucky not to have won the Welsh National on soft ground when falling last season, but this is a better race again. It´s a hot contest.

'We´ll see how he comes out of this and then he´ll probably go to Haydock (for the Betfair Chase on November 19) and then hopefully back for the Gold Cup with a bit of luck.

'We beat Grey Abbey easy enough in the Gold Cup but that was a different race on different ground.'

Ollie Magern will be returning to action for the first time since he was injured just a week before the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old cracked a cannonbone in his off-hind leg while he was being prepared for a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Ollie Magern has experience of the track, having won the Towton Novices´ Chase over the Charlie Hall course and distance in February.

His trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is expecting a bold show.

He said: 'He had a hairline fracture but all is mended. He looks as good as ever and I´m looking forward to it.

'I´m not worried about the ground, any ground comes alike and he´s a good winner round there.

'Tomorrow will tell us a lot. If we are not this class then we´ll go back handicapping, but if we are then on we go.'

Joes Edge also limbered up for the three-mile-one-furlong feature with a workout at Newcastle.

However, the Scottish Grand National winner´s trainer Ferdy Murphy believes he will come on for the outing.

He said: 'He looks absolutely fantastic and we´ve had a few gallops in him at Newcastle and Ripon, which we don´t normally do.

'He´s the type who will kick on with a couple of runs but we go there with absolutely nothing to fear.

'The only problem is the ground and I think it is that which might just find him out.

'The race will tell us a lot about him and shape our plans about where we go with him after that.

'Whether we go back in handicaps or stay at this level is a decision that will be made later.

'He´s in grand form though and should improve as the season goes on.'

Jonjo O´Neill´s Keen Leader and the Robert Alner-trained Kingscliff are two would-be Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders who need to redeem their tarnished reputations.

Keen Leader, like Take The Stand, warmed up for the Charlie Hall with a spin over hurdles when finishing fifth of eight finishers at Chepstow last Saturday.

O´Neill´s charge will be bidding to win for the first time since December 2003 when he landed the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock.

Kingscliff finished second to Kicking King in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day but after missing the Cheltenham Gold Cup he ran dismally at Punchestown.

The lightly-raced eight-year-old will be ridden for the first time by Robert Walford as he bids to erase the memory of that last effort.

The line-up is completed by Sue Smith´s Chives, winner of last season´s Tommy Whittle Chase, and the Paul Nicholls-trained Colourful Life, who was a promising second on his reappearance at Chepstow earlier this month.

The going at Wetherby is currently described as soft.

(C) PA Sport