Gentlemansgame wins Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby from Bravemansgame
- Published
Gentlemansgame (left) beat Bravemansgame by a one and three quarter lengths
Gentlemansgame beat odds-on favourite Bravemansgame to win the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby for Irish trainer Mouse Morris.
The 7-2 winner, in only his third run over fences, gave Morris his first victory in Britain since Rule The World won the Grand National in 2016.
King George VI Chase winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame was the 10-11 favourite.
But his rival pulled clear after the last on the rain-softened going.
"We threw him in at the deep end and he answered the question," said Morris, 72, who won the Gold Cup with War Of Attrition in 2006.
Saturday's success made Gentlemangame the first Irish-trained winner of the Wetherby race since Sackville in 2001.
Gentlemansgame, who was ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, runs in the Robcour silks of Brian Acheson and is around 25-1 for the Gold Cup in March, for which the same owner's Gerri Colombe is 7-1 second favourite.
Acheson said: "Mouse wanted to go and take on Gerri Colombe at Down Royal and I said: 'Mouse, you can't go and beat my Gold Cup horse.' So we came here.
"I said to Mouse: 'You can take Gerri on in March if we get there."
Last year's Charlie Hall winner Bravemansgame could not make a successful defence, but trainer Paul Nicholls believes his horse will improve for the run.
"He'll take a step forward and the King George will be a different ball game," he said.
Midnight River was more than 20 lengths back in third, with the only other runner - Ahoy Senor - pulled up.