Weekend Preview / Timeform / 30 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The jump racing season really begins to take off at Wetherby on Saturday, which features the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase, often regarded as the genuine starting point for the jump racing campaign.

Ollie Magern, winner of the race in 2007 and runner-up last season, heads the market for the Charlie Hall Chase ahead of Grade 2-winning novice Deep Purple and 2008 Betfair Chase winner Snoopy Loopy. The card also features a competitive listed mares hurdle event, featuring the Gordon Elliot-trained Serpentaria and the Nicky Henderson-trained My Petra.

Ascot hosts a competitive card which includes three listed events. The United House Gold Cup Handicap Chase (three miles) sees the return of 2008 Scottish National runner-up Gone To Lunch, who is set to take on unbeaten novice chaser Seven Is My Number.

As the Flat season draws to a close, Newmarket showcases an interesting card, which includes some intriguing juvenile maidens. The highlight of the meeting is the listed Ben Marshall Stakes, which this season has attracted a small but select field of five, headed by the unbeaten three-year-old Prince of Dance. The listed Montrose Stakes, a race for juvenile fillies, carries plenty of strength in depth, with the Henry Cecil-trained Timepiece looking a useful prospect.

France showcases the feature race on Sunday, in the shape of the Group 1 Criterium International, which is a two-year-old event run at Saint Cloud. The highly promising maiden winner Prizefighting, trained by John Gosden, has been supplemented for the race and is set to take on Prix Marcel Boussac winner Rosanara, undoubtedly the leading French rival.

Tags: Horseracing betting, horseracing betting odds, horseracing betting tips, Newmarket, Timeform weekend preview, Wetherby