*Grand National winner
Auroras Encore aimed at bet365 Charlie Hall Chase
*Yorkshire trainers Sue
Smith and Brian Ellison plan runners on October 16
*Olympic eventing silver
medallist Nicola Wilson at Wetherby's charity fixture
*Wetherby races on 18 days
during the forthcoming season
Racing returns to Wetherby
with the annual Spinal Research Charity Raceday on Wednesday, October 16, the
West Yorkshire course's first fixture of the new Jump season.
Spinal Research, the
charity which funds research into finding a cure for paralysis caused by injury
to the spinal cord, is holding the northern raceday at Wetherby for the 23rd
consecutive year. The event has raised over £415,000 during that period.
The seven-race card gets
underway with the Spinal Research Rachel Wright Memorial Hurdle (2.20pm), in
honour of Rachel Wright who founded this Spinal Research Charity Raceday and
organised the event until passing away in 2006. The two feature contests are
the Follow @WetherbyRaces On Twitter Handicap Chase (2.50pm) over two miles and
the Bobby Renton Handicap Chase (3.55pm) over an extended two and a half miles,
both worth £10,000.
Wetherby Racecourse has
made improvements to facilities since last racing at the end of May, including
upgrades to the car parks and associated facilities.
Jonjo Sanderson, chief
executive and clerk of the course, said: "I am very happy with the
condition of the racing surface heading into this season.
"We have had a nice
summer and we were able to do all our remedial work when we wanted to back in
July, so the track has had plenty of time to settle down.
"Our Prize money
contribution for the forthcoming season will be at least the same, if not more,
than it was during 2012/13 and, once again, all our major meetings are
sponsored, including our popular Christmas Meeting, and I am pleased to welcome
William Hill as the new sponsors of this fixture this season.
"We are looking
forward to the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase. Obviously, it is an early Jump season
highlight and we had a brilliant winner in Silviniaco Conti last year."
Silviniaco Conti, trained
by Paul Nicholls in Somerset, won the Grade Two £100,000 chase over three miles
and a furlong at Wetherby in great style and went on to Grade One success.
The bet365 Charlie Hall
Chase meeting is one of the highlights of Wetherby's season and takes place
this year on Friday, November 1, and Saturday, November 2.
Sue Smith was the leading
trainer during Wetherby's most recent season, enjoying eight successes.
Her husband and assistant
Harvey Smith is looking forward to being back at Wetherby and confirmed that
Grand National hero Auroras Encore could make his seasonal reappearance at the
course.
Smith revealed: "We
will be having runners at the Spinal Research Charity Raceday - we love having
runners at Wetherby. It is a very good and fair track.
"It is one of our
local tracks (the Smiths train near Bingley) and a lot of our owners are local,
so it makes sense to have runners there.
"Auroras Encore has
come back from his summer break in great form and he could start off in the
Charlie Hall Chase if all goes well."
Auroras Encore, with Ryan
Mania in the saddle, triumphed in the John Smith's Grand National, worth
£975,000, at Aintree on April 6 this year at odds of 66/1 for owners Douglas
Pryde, Jim Beaumont and David van der Hoeven. He was the first
Yorkshire-trained winner of the great race since 1960.
North Yorkshire handler
Brian Ellison was also among the top trainers at Wetherby last season, saddling
six winners and he is hoping to continue the good form this season.
Ellison, based at Norton,
said: "I will be making some entries for the Spinal Research Charity
Raceday, but I'm not sure which horses will be definitely running at the
moment.
"I don't especially
target Wetherby, but they put on suitable races for my horses. There are some nice
handicaps and novice chases and I will definitely be looking at those for some
of my better horses.
"Viva Colonia is
coming back in next week and would be a possible for the two and a half mile
Listed handicap chase at the Charlie Hall meeting (the £25,000 Bet365 Handicap
Chase on Friday, November 1)."
Viva Colonia has already
won at Wetherby, capturing a handicap hurdle at the West Yorkshire course three
years ago.
Michelle Marsh, events and
community fundraiser of Spinal Research, explained the background to the
charity day on Wednesday, October 16.
She said: "The Spinal
Research Raceday at Wetherby is in its 23rd year and has been very well
supported by the local community, local businesses and people in the racing
industry.
"There is a large
racing community in Yorkshire and it is the first meeting of the year at
Wetherby, so it is always very popular. If people can't attend, they can still
donate online by visiting our website to fund out work into spinal cord repair.
"We don't receive any
direct government funding, so we rely solely on the support of the general
public.
"Tables are still
available for our private, hospitality marquee at Wetherby, where there will be
a three-course lunch followed by a charity auction and raffle. People can book
tickets through Wetherby to join us on the day.
"Olympic silver
medallist Nicola Wilson will be our guest of honour. She is an ambassador for
the Spinal Research 'Saddle Up' campaign and we are delighted she is attending
again this year."
Wetherby Racecourse has 18
racedays during its 2013/14 season. The 2014 dates are provisional at the
moment.
Accompanied children aged
17 years and under are admitted free of charge to all enclosures.
October 2013
16, Wednesday - Opening
Day in aid of Spinal Research
November 2013
1, Friday - bet365 Charlie
Hall Meeting - First Day
2, Saturday - bet365
Charlie Hall Meeting - Second Day
16, Saturday - totepool
Day& CIU National Charity Day
27, Wednesday - Countryside
Day
December 2013
7, Saturday - Christmas
Carol Saturday
26, Thursday - William
Hill Yorkshire Christmas Meeting - Rowland Meyrick Chase
27, Friday - William Hill
Yorkshire Christmas Meeting - Castleford Chase
January 2014
11, Saturday - Wetherby
raceday
21, Tuesday - Wetherby
raceday
February 2014
1, Saturday - Medieval Day
featuring the Towton Novices' Hurdle
18, Tuesday - Wetherby
raceday
March 2014
18, Tuesday - Wetherby
raceday
28, Friday - Wear A Hat
Friday in aid of Brain Tumour Research
April 2014
13, Sunday - Family Day
featuring the Mascot Gold Cup
22, Tuesday - Wetherby
raceday
May 2014
22, Thursday - Wetherby
raceday
29, Thursday (ev) -
Yorkshire Post Ladies' Night
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