McCain delays Amber decision
The 12-year-old is entered in the both the feature race and the ‘Dine And View’ Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.
Amberleigh House disappointed over hurdles at Haydock last week but McCain is keen to get another run into the Buckskin gelding before tackling next month’s Becher Chase at Aintree.
“He definitely goes to Wetherby but we will leave it until tomorrow morning to make a final decision on which race. I have an open mind about it so we will leave it late and see if the big race cuts up,” said McCain.
“The main thing is to get a run over fences, but at the same time it is a £70,000 race and if it does cut up we could go for that.”
If Amberleigh House were to run in the Charlie Hall, McCain would have to find a new rider as regular partner Graham Lee is committed to riding Grey Abbey.
McCain admits that factor is also being taken into consideration, and added: “I think we would be just favouring the two-and-a-half-miler at present as Graham Lee is available for that race, but we will see how things go.”
Meanwhile Yorkshire trainer Sue Smith is likely to be double-handed in the Charlie Hall with both Royal Emperor and Artic Jack on course for the race.
Last season’s Royal & SunAlliance Chase runner-up Royal Emperor will be taking his first step out of novice chase company in the Grade Two race, while Artic Jack will be looking to make up for a disappointing run in the Irish Grand National last time.
Mrs Smith said: “At the moment it looks like Royal Emperor and Artic Jack will both run in the Charlie Hall.
“Both horses have done well over the summer and I’m very pleased with them - both are in grand order.
“It’s one of those things where, because of their ratings, it is not the easiest thing to find different races for them, and unfortunately we have had to put them together.”
Royal Emperor has won twice and finished second from his three visits to the track and the eight-year-old was a very impressive winner of the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase over course and distance in February, when he beat subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Native Emperor by 20 lengths.
Mrs Smith added: “Royal Emperor seems to particularly like running around Wetherby. He’s a smashing horse to train and he tries his best wherever he goes, really.”
Mrs Smith is likely to be the only Yorkshire-based trainer with a runner in the race and hopes to keep the prize in the county.
“It would be lovely, as a Yorkshire trainer, to win the Charlie Hall. If you are lucky enough to win it, it’s nice to have a big race under your belt.”
Scottish Grand National hero Grey Abbey is likely to make his seasonal debut in the race as long as the ground is on the easy side.
“I’m sure Grey Abbey is going to run but the ground will have to be suitable.
“We want quite a lot of rain as he likes soft going,” said Sue Johnson, wife of trainer Howard.
The 10-year-old is reported to be in fine heart ahead of the race, but Mrs Johnson admits he may need the run.
“Grey Abbey has done very well indeed over the summer - he looks very good,” she added.
“This is his first race of the year and we would have liked to have got a prep race into him earlier on, but there’s been nothing for him, so that hasn’t been the case.”
