Becher Chase

The Becher Chase is a handicap over three and a quarter miles over the Grand National fences at Aintree.

The Becher Chase takes place on Saturday 9th December 2023.

It takes place in late November or early December and is a recognised trial for the big race itself.

Notable past winners include Earth Summit (1998), Amberleigh House (2001), Silver Birch (2004) and Blaklion (2017).

Find out more about the Becher Chase:

Race Overview – The Becher Chase

Horses six years old or older may compete in the Grade Three National Hunt steeplechase known as the Becher Chase.

There are twenty-one fences to leap throughout the race, which is raced at Aintree over a distance of around three miles and two furlongs (three miles, one furlong, and 188 yards, or 5,201 metres).

It will take place every year in November or December and is a handicap race.

Becher Chase 2023 Odds

The Becher Chase odds are listed below:

Becher Chase 2023 Tips

The Becher Chase tips are below:

2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC

Many Becher Chase horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

Famous Becher Chase Winners

The inaugural race was won by the twelve-year-old Kildimo in 1992. Into The Red became the first dual winner in 1994 and 1996, his second victory also coming as a twelve-year-old.

Older horses enjoyed further success in this event with Hello Bud. He also won at twelve in 2010 and again as a veteran of fourteen in 2012.

Although Earth Summit (1998), Amberleigh House (2001) and Silver Birch (2004) were all Grand National winners, the race has not had a big impact on Grand National betting in recent years.

Earth Summit had won the 1998 Grand National before winning the Becher Chase with a top weight of twelve stone.

Amberleigh House and Silver Birch did not win the National until three years after their Becher Chase wins, in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

Black Apalachi put up a remarkable performance to win by 74 lengths in heavy ground in 2008. He unseated his rider at the 22nd fence in the Grand National that season but returned to finish second to Don’t Push It in 2010.

Oscar Time was runner-up in the 2011 Grand National to Ballabriggs and returned to Aintree to win the Becher Chase in 2014.

2017 winner Blaklion had finished fourth in the Grand National earlier that year. He started 8-1 favourite and looked the likely winner at the 26th fence but tired in the closing stages. He also ran in four further Grand Nationals, his best effort being a sixth-place finish behind Minella Times in 2021.

Vieux Lion Rouge (2016, 2020) and Walk In The Mill (2018, 2019) also both ran with credit in Grand Nationals.

Key Becher Chase Trials

Previous Aintree form is a useful guide for your Becher Chase tips.

Eleven of the last twelve winners had at least one previous run at Aintree and three of those had recorded a victory.

Stamina is also an important factor with winning form over three miles or further.

The Grand National Trial at Haydock Park in February is a possible target for Becher Chase winners. Vieux Lion Rouge won both races in 2016-2017 with Blaklion finishing second in the Haydock race after winning here in 2017-2018.

The Grand National is the main objective for Becher Chase winners but it has proved to be difficult to win both races in the same season. Ten of the last twelve winners ran in the big race but none of them were successful.

Becher Chase Betting Trends

One of the features of the Becher Chase is the good record of older horses.

Hello Bud was the third twelve-year-old to win the race in 2010 and still holds the winning age record of fourteen for his second victory in 2012.

Oscar Time was another veteran to win here at the age of thirteen in 2014 and Vieux Lion Rouge was eleven when recording his second victory in 2020.

Favourites have a mixed record in the Becher Chase with four victories in the past twelve seasons. Hello Bud was 15-2 favourite in 2010 and Vieux Lion Rouge was market leader at 8-1 in 2016.

Blaklion was a heavily-backed 7-4 favourite in 2017 and Snow Leopardess won as the 4-1 favourite in 2021.

There have also been plenty of shock results. Garvivonnian was a 33-1 outsider in 2005, Eurotrek (2006) and Oscar Time (2014) both returned at 25-1 and Highland Lodge (2015) was a 20-1 shot.

The going is often on the soft side and this can favour the more lightly weighted runners.

Blaklion was the only winner to carry more than 11 stone in the last twelve years.

Blaklion was also the highest officially rated winner on 153.

The other eleven winners were rated between 130 and 142.

Becher Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Nigel Twiston-Davies is the leading trainer in the history of the Becher Chase with six victories. He won it for the first time with Indian Tonic in 1993 and followed up with Young Hustler (1996) and Grand National winner Earth Summit (1998). He struck with veteran chaser Hello Bud in 2010 and 2012 with Blaklion providing a record sixth victory in 2017.

Paul Nicholls has also enjoyed success in this race, winning three times in four seasons between 2004 and 2007. The first of his winners was Silver Birch who went on to win the 2007 Grand National when trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott. Nicholls also won the Becher Chase with Eurotrek (2006) and Mr Pointment (2007).

Betting on the Becher Chase

The Becher Chase is always a very competitive handicap with a large field for each-way betting.

Be wary of supporting horses who don’t act on soft ground as conditions have often been testing in recent seasons.

It does not have a great record as a Grand National trial but always provides a thrilling spectacle over the Aintree fences.

Becher Chase Previous Winners

Becher Chase Previous Result

🏇 Ashtown Lad holds off Gesskille to win the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at 5-1 for the Skeltons @DSkeltonRacing @harryskelton89 @BoyleSports pic.twitter.com/lffHL6S9xv

— Aintree Racecourse (@AintreeRaces) December 3, 2022

Becher Chase Facts

• The Becher Chase is a National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged 6 years or older.
• The race is run over a distance of 3 miles and 6 furlongs (5,906 metres) at Aintree Racecourse, and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped.
• The race was first run in 1839, and it was named in honour of Captain Martin Becher who fell from his horse, Conrad, at the first Becher’s Brook fence during the first running of the Grand National in 1839.

Summary of the Becher Chase

Thank you for reading our Becher Chase guide.

The Becher is a great race, run over the famous Grand national fences, it often is a springboard for horses who go on to run well in the big one, later in the season!

Related December Articles

Resources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becher_Chase