2024 Betfair Chase: 15/8 favourite Grey Dawning leads strong set of entries

• 2024 Betfair Chase entries released

• Grey Dawning leads the betting at 15/82.88

• Royale Pagaille looking to win back-to-back renewals at 7/18.00

• Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls could be triple handed

Grey Dawning tops the Betfair Chase betting at first entry stage

Tuesday 5 November saw the first set of entries for the 2024 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday 23 November and it saw Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning solidified at the top of the betting at 15/82.88.

The Grade 1 winning chaser will be looking to land his first black type event outside of novice company and give the yard a second win in the race in just three years.

Skelton could be double handed in this year's contest as previous winner Protektorat could also feature in the race having been entered for the event at this stage, and he is a 14/115.00 chance to regain the title.

Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls with three possible runners

Paul Nicholls has entered three of his Ditcheat team in this year's first Grade 1 of the British National Hunt season, with his leading contender being Bravemansgame according to the Betfair Sportsbook.

Last year's runner-up is 10/111.00 in the betting after his second in last week's Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Like the aforementioned Grey Dawning, his rival from last season Ginny's Destiny could head into the race for the Nicholls team and will also be looking to land his first event win outside of novice company. The gelding is a slightly bigger price than his stablemate at 14/115.00.

The most likely runner from Team Ditcheat looks to be Hitman, who is the outsider of the three Nicholls horses in the ante-post betting at 16/117.00.

The 14-time champion trainer name checked him as a possible runner in the race on an episode of Ditcheat Diaries.

Paul's Ditcheat Diary 🗒️

Patience is the key word in Ditcheat at present, plus where Hitman and Stage Star are heading next.@BetfairBarry caught up with Betfair ambassador @PFNicholls for the latest. pic.twitter.com/noSSVzhici

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) October 28, 2024

Last year's winner Royale Pagaille heading back to defend title

Venetia Williams looks to be eyeing up another tilt at the Betfair Chase with last year's winner Royale Pagaille as the Grade 1 winner was also entered into the race on Tuesday.

A 7/18.00 chance on the Betfair Sportsbook, the Rich Ricci owned gelding has not been seen since falling at Cheltenham's Trials Day meeting and is a now a 10-year-old.

The Betfair Chase has not been won by a double-figure aged horse since 2016 when Cue Card landed his third win in the contest.

Irish could send a strong team

The Irish battalion could send a strong team into the 2024 renewal of the Grade 1 off the back of the initial entries with 2024 Chelteham Festival winner Corbett's Cross the 9/25.50 second favourite on the Sportsbook.

Shark Hanlon's 2023 King George VI Chase winner Hewick 8/19.00 looks set to line up in the race this year having been touted for the Grade 1 contest after finishing a neck second at Down Royal to Envoi Allen in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase.

Other Irish runners entered at this stage are Cheltenham Festival winning mare Limerick Lace 16/117.00 and 2023 Charlie Hall Chase winner Gentlemansgame 33/134.00.

French raiders could add to strong field

The 2024 renewal of the race sees the 20th running of the Grade 1 Betfair sponsored contest and this year it could potentially see a trio of French raiders lining up.

Shortest in the betting is the apltly named Il Est Francais for the Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm team with the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase winner currently 8/19.00 in the betting.

George & Zetterholm could be double-handed in this year's contest with General En Chef also entered today but is one of the outsiders in the betting at 33/134.00.

A common theme for the French runners is big prices with the outsider of the field being 50/151.00 chance Gold Tweet for trainer Gabriel Leenders, a winner of the 2023 Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham's Trials meeting.

British Horses to note

The 2024 renewal could be one of the strongest the race has seen since its inaugaration if all of the entered runners line up.

Horses yet to be mentioned but can't be overlooked include Lucinda Russell's Grade 1 winner Ahoy Senor 6/17.00, recent Charlie Hall Chase victor The Real Whacker 16/117.00 and Kim Bailey's 2025 Grand National hope Chianti Classico 20/121.00.

Two other British outsiders that have been entered for the race include 2024 Grade 2 Old Roan Chase winner Minella Drama 25/126.00 and veteran of the field Sam Brown 33/134.00.

Betfair's Barry Orr said: "It's the strongest set of entries I can remember and befitting for the 20^th running of the UK's first G1 of the National Hunt season that so many quality horses are being considered for the race.

"The market is still headed by Turners winner, Grey Dawning, at 15/82.88 and the National Hunt Chase winner, Corbetts Cross, who will try and emulate A Plus Tard as an Irish winner of the race, at 9/25.50.

"Two previous winners, Royale Pagaille 7/18.00 and Protektorat 14/115.00 are also in the list of entries, plus the inclusion of possible French contenders, Il Est Francais, Gold Tweet and General En Chef, gives it all the ingredients of being an extra spicy renewal of the great race."

Check out the latest ante-post betting for the 2024 Betfair Chase here

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