Saturday, 6 December sees the Grand National fences in use at Aintree races in the Becher Chase. Although a mile shorter than the big one in the spring, this Premier Handicap over three-and-a-quarter miles comes with extra incentive this year. Any horse that can land the Becher and the National receives a £500,000 bonus.
Some of the 13 runners in the pre-Christmas feature handicap on Merseyside will do well to make the cut come April. Nonetheless, it’s an appealing reason for tuning in nonetheless. The Mildmay Course hosts the six other events on the card, which are mainly handicaps too with the exception of a novice hurdle and Listed juvenile hurdle.
Having both tracks with action on them at Aintree races is part of what makes this meeting so great. While the Many Clouds Chase isn’t run any longer, nothing over a long distance detracts from the Becher. That’s the way it should be. Past form and runs over the Grand National fences is a key consideration for both punters and traders with horse racing bookmakers online alike here.
It’s certainly at the forefront of our experts’ mind when they analyse the Becher. The reason for that is not every horse takes to the famous obstacles like Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn and The Chair. Form study is a bit easier for all of us on the Mildmay Course with that being a more traditional hurdles and steeplechase track. Check out our horse racing experts’ Saturday selections for the entire card.
Aintree Races Preview for Saturday, 6 December – Becher Chase Day
11:48 – 2m 209y Class 3 Novice Hurdle
The @PJHobbs1 team have a nice horse on their hands!
Captain Hugo shows a tenacious attitude, putting his head down to fend off Sinnatra at @NewburyRacing under @Sean_Houlihan1… pic.twitter.com/BeqrN0t3mu
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 6, 2025
Captain Hugo handled good to soft just fine the last day and, with similar underfoot conditions on the Mildmay Course forecast, could well follow-up. It’s hard to rule out either of the three, however. Race To Base ran out an easy winner back around Hereford at prohibitive odds of 1/5 when last in action for the Twiston-Davies team.
Ben Jones, Ben Pauling and Harry Redknapp combine with unbeaten four-year-old Poet’s Word gelding Taurus Bay. He cost £155,000 at the Sales after landing his Irish Point and bolted up on his British, hurdling and stable bow at Stratford. The runner-up to Taurus Bay only has an official rating of 114, however, so Captain Hugo looks smarter.
12:24 – 3m 149y Class 4 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (0-110)
Not the greatest of Aintree races you’ve ever seen. The suggestion is TOP GUY for Dan Skelton and stable conditional Tristan Durrell, who offsets a 3lb rise for his neck defeat around Southwell last time. It’s the way he shaped over two-and-a-half miles there last time that suggests this longer trip looks well worth exploring.
Using Wetherby conqueror Wade Out, now a 142-rated chaser, as a form line, Top Guy looks well-handicapped off just 98. Martin Keighley saddles in-form topweight Glance Of Glory, meanwhile, seeking a hat-trick. He notched consecutive victories at Worcester, earning a 6lb rise from the assessor. The way Glance Of Glory battled back there last time when headed suggests this extra distance could suit.
Henry Daly’s yard found some form towards the end of last month, so he’ll hope a first-time visor will improve the finishing efforts of Sandscape. Mark Walford mare Princess Milania won over this trip for her previous trainer, meanwhile, and had a sighter for this when a never dangerous third around Catterick. Christian Williams runs two, but neither appeal and nor do the remainder.
12:58 – 2m 3f 200y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
Kdeux Saint Fray takes the Bottlegreen Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 🥇#ITVRacing | @JohnnyBurke2 | @honeyballracing pic.twitter.com/u8Tu08oX1Y
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 16, 2025
Just 6lb separate the six-strong field in this Aintree races event over the Mildmay fences. A much-improved round of jumping from KDEUX SAINT FRAY at Cheltenham’s November Meeting earns him the vote. Upped 3lb for that by the assessor, that looks fair treatment for Anthony Honeyball’s charge. Jonny Burke again takes the ride on Kdeux Saint Fray, who is the only steeplechase winner in the line-up.
Three of his rivals make their bows over fences. Some are from Point-to-Point backgrounds like Captain Butler and It’s Hard To Know. Those types could improve for switching to this sphere, but there’s also no substitute for experience. Also lacking in that department is Guard The Moon for the Twiston-Davies yard.
Pleasington somehow has topweight for a close third at Wetherby on his chasing debut for Olly Murphy and the McNeill Family. Despite being an eight-race maiden over fences, Inedit Star has gone close around this venue before and Nick Kent’s Red Rum third bumped into subsequent Haldon Gold Cup hero Thistle Ask in a Wetherby Premier Handicap last time out, so has less on his plate now.
1:30 – 2m 3f 200y Class 2 Handicap Chase (0-145)
Richmond Lake – 121111 🙌
His winning run continues with a powerful performance in the sticky ground BoyleSports Handicap Chase pic.twitter.com/VKQQMBRNpw
— Aintree Racecourse (@AintreeRaces) December 9, 2023
Also placed here last Christmas off that same mark, Richmond Lake has finally seen the handicapper cut him some slack. The Kalooki Kid has actually gone up 3lb for finishing fourth of four in the Colin Parker, making his own task that bit tougher. Of the others, Margaret’s Legacy has been pretty consistent over the last couple of seasons.
He’s won two of his three starts since joining Warren Greatrex including a six-length defeat of Bad on stable debut. Margaret’s Legacy then defied topweight and defied re-opposing Haydock runner-up Ned Tanner before a solid second around Bangor on reappearance. Nudged up 2lb by the handicapper, he may still have more to offer.
2:05 – Listed 2m 209y Wirral Juvenile Hurdle
Paul Nicholls has won four of the last seven renewals of this across Doncaster and Aintree races, so it’s easy to see why wide-margin Ludlow scorer Treasure Planet is favourite with the best betting sites in the UK. Ross O’Sullivan sends one over from Ireland, however, in the colours of powerful owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede. BIBE MUS finished third to a subsequent Grade 3 Fairyhouse victor at Down Royal and won going left-handed in France.
He appeals most at the prices. Bibe Mus takes on a rival as yet unraced over hurdles in Edelak for Skelton. This Irish import broke the maiden tag on his final start for Johnny Murtagh on the Flat. Archie Watson has a rare foray into the National Hunt code, meanwhile, courtesy of Scarlet Moon following his Warwick win.
Lord sets the standard on ratings off a mark of 119. It’s a low bar, but the McCain import from Murphy’s yard probably didn’t give his true running on heavy ground at Cheltenham last time. Prior to that, Lord landed a hat-trick and the return to a sounder surface that isn’t heavy will be a plus. Diamond Jim and the filly Only One Blue don’t make much appeal.
2:40 – 3m 1f 188y Becher Chase (Premier Handicap)
From just 1lb out of the handicap, Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s GABORIOT appeals most after placing in the last two editions of the Grand Sefton. He’s off 2lb here from a fine second in that on reappearance. Although 1lb worse off with Nicky Henderson inmate Excello, this was Gaboriot’s target 12 months ago when the meeting ended up abandoned.
The same stable also runs White Rhino, who completed the Grand Sefton in ninth place. Of greater interest is the 2023 Topham winner Bill Baxter for Greatrex. He returned to form when bolting up in the Pat Taaffe at the Punchestown Festival and shaped well enough on reappearance over hurdles.
Veteran horses are no strangers to Becher success, so Patrick Griffin’s Roi Mage can’t be discounted with his Cross Country exploits and past runs over the course. As for the others, including Gavin Cromwell raider Bioluminescence, Jonjo O’Neill inmate Monbeg Genius and Welsh Grand National hero Val Dancer, punters are gambling on whether or not they will take to the famous fences.
3:15 – 2m 4f Class 2 Handicap Hurdle
👏 @Sean_Bowen_ prevails in the battle of the Bowens!
RAMBO T wins the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at @Chepstow_Racing for @O_J_murphy91… pic.twitter.com/EE1PhBqV1B
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 11, 2025
Paggane has come out and won two Listed races over fences. The fourth has gone in since, while the sixth home placed in two Grade 2 staying hurdlers. Rambo T has leading form claims, then. Martin Pipe second Act Of Authority could go well under stable conditional Lewis Saunders, given the exploits of the winner Wodhooh.
Mel Rowley newcomer Bear Market has done well since switching to her stables and seeks a hat-trick with just 10st 2lb on his back. If not for Durrell’s claim, Sunray Shadow would be 2lb out of the weights for Skelton. That’s because veteran Brewin’upastorm, the third of Murphy’s runners, frames the handicap.
Greatwood Hurdle flops Cracking Rhapsody and Rubber Ball must find improvement over this longer trip after disappointing displays. The latter looks well-treated off a mark of 127 and may just have blown up fitness wise at Cheltenham. Cracking Rhapsody has seen his winning form in Scotland franked by the exploits of Alnilam over fences and Kabral Du Mathan bolting up at Haydock last month.
