Horse jumps the iconic Grand National fences at Aintree races on Saturday, 7 December in the feature Becher Chase. This Premier Handicap over around a mile or so shorter than the world’s most famous steeplechase takes centre stage on Merseyside during a seven-race card.
Elsewhere on the Mildmay Course at the Liverpool venue, juvenile hurdlers test their credentials in a competitive Listed race. There are also a number of handicaps on the track. Punters should expect testing conditions with the National Course heavy in places following stormy weather in the week.
Any time legendary obstacles like The Canal Turn and The Chair are in use, that only adds interest to the markets on horse racing betting sites in the UK. We’ve got expert analysis of the entire card below, so check out the highlighted horses to follow.
Aintree Races Preview of the Becher Chase Card
11:47 – 2m 3f 200y Class 2 Beginners’ Chase
Narrowly beaten in an Irish Point before joining Seven Barrows, Jango Baie has way too much class for this meagre opposition. Ballymackie trailed in last of eight in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last time and, despite his own extensive Pointing background, has no realistic hope granted a clear round for the Henderson horse.
12:22 – 2m 209y Class 3 Novice Hurdle
Hard to oppose THE KEMBLE BREWERY despite a double penalty at Aintree races here. Kim Bailey’s charge beat a next time out winner at Worcester, who in turn beat a useful horse that subsequently scored. The Kemble Brewery then defied a penalty around Ffos Las. His back bumper form also reads well, besting subsequent Grade 2 victor Valgrand.
Dan Skelton pair Kenmya and Out Out don’t really have much to recommend them, so Wellington Arch looks the biggest danger. Judged on his bumper efforts, the Jonjo O’Neill runner has potential and could take a step forward from his second to Sorceleur on hurdling bow at Exeter.
Piper Park will probably find this trip too sharp, but does handle testing conditions after landing an Irish Point on heavy. She subsequently moved to Tom Lacey’s care and ran third in a Wetherby bumper that the runner-up, Mr Bramley, has done plenty to advertise since. Getting 17lb from The Kemble Brewery here is a lot of weight.
12:57 – 3m 149y Class 4 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (0-110)
Golden Ambition handled soft ground at Fontwell, then followed-up around Lingfield. It’s less certain that Jennie Candlish inmate Magical Arthur will be as effective in these conditions, but she books Sam Twiston-Davies following Kempton and Plumpton successes for her in-form six-year-old.
Stay If U Want To has thus far been a frustrating horse to follow for the O’Neills, but his dam won at 3m and he goes further up in trip after shaping like that’s his trip in recent runs at Wincanton and Cheltenham. It’s difficult to make compelling cases for the rest of the field, but handicap debutant Neo King could have something to offer over this distance.
1:32 2m 3f 200y Class 2 Handicap Chase (0-145)
There are plenty of dangers at Aintree races bidding to thwart a repeat bid, however, and these include horses at both ends of the handicap. Topweight Springwell Bay didn’t seem to stay 3m around Cheltenham, yet ran so well over this distance when scoring on reappearance and his bow in this sphere at Chepstow for the O’Neills.
The Haydock form of Dr T J Eckleburg has been franked, meanwhile, when the second came out and bolted up around Newbury last Saturday. Evan Williams’ charge thus looks a threat the bookies take seriously off bottom weight despite going up 7lb with the assessor.
After bumping into L’Eau Du Sud last time, No Risk Des Flos is becoming dangerously well-treated. One of two in this race for Olly Murphy, alongside Grandads Cottage who makes his reappearance, Sean Bowen’s mount has dropped in the weights to 8lb below his last winning mark.
2:07 – 3m 1f 188y Becher Chase (Premier Handicap)
Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s runner is the latest from the yard targeting events like. Gaboriot is 3lb out of weights, but that may not stop him reversing the places with the David Pipe inmate. Last year’s winner Chambard is 5lb higher and lacks a recent run, but Venetia Williams’ veteran will love these testing conditions.
Topham Chase hero Arizona Cardinal is one to note, also 5lb higher, for in-form Stuart Edmunds too. He’s well worth a crack over the famous fences at this trip. Freebooter winner Cruz Control isn’t out of it either, if translating his Mildmay Course form over. Lacey tries him over a furlong further and the big obstacles.
Hemmings Racing duo Iron Bridge and Major Dundee shouldn’t mind conditions, but it’s a question of whether the Becher Chase is far enough for either. The market prefers the former for the O’Neills, but both have form at marathon trips. Veteran Celebre D’Allen and Laura Morgan’s Percussion both have experience of the fences, meanwhile.
2:24 – Listed 2m 209y Juvenile Hurdle
An intriguing edition of the old Summit Juvenile Hurdle, switched from Doncaster to Aintree races from last year, where three of the five runners have claims. A 2lb swing in the weights means Static might reverse Wetherby form with Liam Swagger, especially on softer ground, but QUANTOCK HILLS isn’t out of this either.
Warren Greatrex’s charge bumped into subsequent Newbury Listed winner Opec before coming out and going one better himself. Quantock Hills scored by seven lengths around Fontwell under a penalty, so this French import must be useful. Softer going may blunt the Flat speed of Liam Swagger, but Static handles cut in the ground.
The only issue with Murphy’s charge is he ran in Grade 2 company at Cheltenham since that pair fought out the finish of the Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle. Static was no match for East India Dock, but his obvious stamina enters calculations in more testing conditions. Melon makes his National Hunt bow in pretty deep waters here, so it’s best to watch him.
3:17 – 2m 4f Class 2 Handicap Hurdle
Henderson’s CHOCCABLOC makes his handicap debut in the Aintree races finale off an opening mark of 128. Given he chased home a 145-rated rival at Ayr when we last saw him, he could be chucked in. This is an ultra-competitive end to the card, however, and plenty of those in the field will fancy their chances.
On back form from the autumn and winter of 2021, Tamar Bridge has claims. The risk here is that he bounces after a fine second to Pretending around Uttoxeter following almost 700 days off the track. Uncle Bert ran second over further and fences on the Mildmay Course last time out, but could have something to offer in this sphere for the Twiston-Davies team.
Pyramid Place qualified for the Pertemps Final in a poor race at Kempton the last day, yet he handles any type of going and might be the better value of Murphy’s pair. Irish raider The Nagger Reidy is one both the British handicapper and bookmakers fear. Course and distance winner Bingoo is back down to last Boxing Day’s winning mark.
