Lord Sam favourite for Charlie Hall Chase

Tomorrow´s £70,000 Grade Two bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby will see six high-class chasers go to post including Lord Sam, trained by Victor Dartnall, who is a 2/1 favourite with the sponsor, this year´s Scottish Grand National hero Grey Abbey, and the Sue Smith-trained pair of Royal Emperor and Artic Jack. The field is completed by the Robert Alner-trained Sir Rembrandt, a half-length runner-up to Best Mate in last season´s Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Turgeonev, trained locally by Tim Easterby.

Lord Sam has won his last four starts including the Grade Two December Novices´ Chase at Lingfield, where he outpowered Native Emperor by a length and a half, and a Grade Three novices´ chase at Punchestown on his last outing in April, beating Hi Cloy a neck.

Dartnall today said: 'Obviously I wouldn´t be coming to Wetherby unless I wasn´t happy with Lord Sam and he´s fine.

'I will get wound up on the day but once you get him there, we´ve done all we can haven´t we? Every horse gets beaten sooner or later and his turn will come won´t it but I hope it´s not tomorrow!'

Providing all goes well in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, Lord Sam could be seen in action in December´s King George VI Chase at Kempton. However Dartnall knows what a competitive race tomorrow´s event is and his words could be a warning to punters considering availing themselves of a short price on his charge.

'The King George would be the ´A´ route for Lord Sam but we´ll see what happens tomorrow,' he said. 'He´s got a big task - Sir Rembrandt is rated 165 and Lord Sam is 151 so I think it´s a big ask for my fellow.

'Sir Rembrandt and Royal Emperor could be the main opposition but it will be nice to get Lord Sam back operating again and he´s just an amazing horse as he always seems to pull something out.'

Tomorrow´s seven-race programme also features the £40,000 Grade Two John Smith´s Hurdle (3.25pm), over three miles about one furlong, which has attracted seven top hurdlers and the £18,000-added Listed Constant Security Wensleydale Juvenile Novices´ Hurdle (2.20pm), over two miles, which will have 11 runners.

The John Smith´s Hurdle features bonusprint.com Stayers´ Hurdle third Crystal D´Ainay as well as the Howard Johnson-trained Inching Closer, who won the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2003. The septet is completed by Batman Senora, Gadz´art, St Matthew, Vicars Destiny and Telemoss.

Connections of the contestants in the Constant Security Wensleydale Juvenile Novices´ Hurdle will be hoping that their charges are stars of the future. Sandra McCarthy is bringing Eye Candy over from Ireland, while the Keith Reveley-trained Hernando´s Boy has won his last two starts.

Milton Harris will be represented by Leopold, who the Banbury-based trainer acquired from top German Jumps trainer Christian Von Der Recke.

Harris today revealed: 'Leopold is a nice, little honest horse - he´s tough, jumps well and stays well and he would have an outside chance in an open race.

'He knows his job and although he wouldn´t be up to the standard of Mondul, Web Perceptions and After Eight, who I trained to win races last year, he will give his running.'

Tomorrow´s other races are the opening £10,000-added Arthur Stephenson Novices´ Handicap Chase (1.45pm), over an extended two miles and four furlongs, with seven contestants, the £17,000-added ´Dine And View´ Handicap Chase (4.00pm), over an extended two miles and four furlongs, which has drawn 10 runners, the £10,000-added Tadcaster Handicap Hurdle (4.35pm), over an extended two miles and four furlongs, with six combatants and the concluding £10,000-added ´Book Your Christmas Party Here´ Novices´ Hurdle (5.05pm), over two miles, with 15 runners going to post for the final event of the day.

The sponsor, bet365, bets: 2/1fav Lord Sam, 9/4 Sir Rembrandt, 4/1 Royal Emperor, 6/1 Grey Abbey, 12/1 Turgeonev and Artic Jack