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:

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 - BOG
  • Date: Saturday 3rd of December 2022
  • Time: 14:05
  • Details: 13 Runners Aintree.
Gesskille
4/1
Ashtown Lad
5/1
Captain Kangaroo
7/1
Snow Leopardess
10/1
The Wolf
12/1
Dr Kananga
14/1
Recite A Prayer
16/1
Percussion
20/1
Rapid Flight
25/1
The Jam Man
33/1
Domaine De L'Isle
40/1
Fagan
50/1
Minella Bobo
66/1

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

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer
1992Kildimo1210-03Lorcan WyerSue Smith
1993Indian Tonic710-06Chris MaudeNigel Twiston-Davies
1994Into the Red1010-04Richard GuestJohn White
1995Young Hustler812-00Chris MaudeNigel Twiston-Davies
1996Into the Red1210-00Tony DobbinMary Reveley
1997Samlee810-00Rodney FarrantPhilip Hobbs
1998Earth Summit1012-00Tom JenksNigel Twiston-Davies
1999Feels Like Gold1110-00Tony DobbinNicky Richards
2000Young Kenny912-00Russ GarrittyPeter Beaumont
2001Amberleigh House910-09Warren MarstonGinger McCain
2002Ardent Scout1009-11Dominic ElsworthSue Smith
2003Clan Royal810–12Liam CooperJonjo O'Neill
2004Silver Birch710-01Ruby WalshPaul Nicholls
2005Garvivonnian1010-04Garrett CotterNed Mitchell
2006Eurotrek1011-07Liam HeardPaul Nicholls
2007Mr Pointment811-05Sam ThomasPaul Nicholls
2008Black Apalachi910-05Denis O'ReganDessie Hughes
2009Vic Venturi911–12Paddy FloodDessie Hughes
2010Hello Bud1210-05Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies
2011West End Rocker910–10Wayne HutchinsonAlan King
2012Hello Bud1410-00Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies
2013Chance du Roy910-06Tom O'BrienPhilip Hobbs
2014Oscar Time1310–12Sam Waley-Cohen[a]Robert Waley-Cohen
2015Highland Lodge910-00Henry BrookeJames Moffatt
2016Vieux Lion Rouge710-09Tom ScudamoreDavid Pipe
2017Blaklion811-06Gavin SheehanNigel Twiston-Davies
2018Walk In The Mill810-03James BestRobert Walford
2019Walk In The Mill910-08James BestRobert Walford
2020Vieux Lion Rouge1110-07Conor O'FarrellDavid Pipe
2021Snow Leopardess910-04Aidan ColemanCharlie Longsdon
2022Ashtown Lad811-05Harry SkeltonDan Skelton

Becher Chase Previous Result

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.

Popular Questions

What are important facts about Becher Chase?

Here are some important facts about Becher Chase:

  • The Becher Chase is run at Aintree Racecourse, Great Britain
  • The Becher Chase is for horses aged 6 and older
  • The Becher Chase is a National Hunt Steeplechase in Great Britain
  • The Becher Chase distance is 3 miles and 2 furlongs

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

As the Founder of British Racecourses, I have a life-long passion for horse racing and have loved the sport as long as I can remember. I am also a keen racehorse owner and have worked in the gambling industry for several years. I set up British Racecourses with the desire to share my passion for racing with other like-minded people.