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13:30 Aintree

Saturday 9 December 2017

All11:5512:2512:5513:3014:0514:3515:10

Randox Health Becher Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (National Course)

Off time: 13:31 | Winning time: 7m 17.7s

1^st

Blaklion

811-6

7/4f

T: N A Twiston-DaviesJ: G Sheehan

Held up towards rear, steady headway from 11th, went 2nd before 2 out, led last, clear before elbow, stayed on strongly op 2/1 tchd 13/8

2^nd

The Last Samuri

911-12

7/1

T: K C BaileyJ: David Bass

Prominent early, chased leaders, lost place 5th, headway 11th, lost place again before 13th, closed 17th, went 3rd 2 out, went 2nd before elbow, stayed on, no impression on winner op 9/1

3^rd

Highland Lodge

1110-5

12/1

T: James MoffattJ: Henry Brooke

Prominent, led 11th, headed last, edged right and dropped to 3rd before elbow, one pace op 9/1

4^th

2 ¾

Federici

810-0

33/1

T: D McCain JnrJ: W T Kennedy

Mid-division on inside, headway 6th, went 2nd 14th until before 2 out, 4th and one pace from last tchd 28/1

5^th

4 ½

Portrait King

1210-0

33/1

T: P GriffinJ: C O'Farrell

In rear, headway from 15th (canal turn), 5th after 3 out, never troubled leaders op 28/1

6^th

The Young Master

810-12

28/1

T: N P MulhollandJ: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (3)

Held up towards rear on inside, mistake 9th, headway before 14th, struggling 17th, disputing well held 6th 2 out op 33/1

7^th

Vieux Lion Rouge

811-5

7/1

T: D PipeJ: T Scudamore

Tracked leaders, lost place before 16th (valentines), weakened 3 out, remote 8th 2 out, tailed off tchd 15/2

8^th

Westerner Point

810-1

12/1

T: E O'GradyJ: P T Enright

Made most until 11th, mistake and losing place 17th, disputing well held 6th 2 out, blundered last, tailed off op 11/1

Also Ran

Sizing Codelco

811-9

25/1

T: C L TizzardJ: T J O'Brien

Held up towards rear, struggling when hampered 10th, blundered 12th, behind when pulled up before 15th (canal turn) op 33/1

As De Mee

711-2

14/1

T: P F NichollsJ: S Bowen

Held up towards rear, blundered and unseated rider 10th

Lord Windermere

1110-11

25/1

T: J H CullotyJ: B S Hughes

Mid-division, mistake 5th, fell 10th op 28/1

Goodtoknow

910-9

14/1

T: Kerry LeeJ: J E Moore

Prominent on outside, mistake 9th, lost place before 15th (canal turn), behind when pulled up before 17th op 12/1

Viva Steve

910-5

12/1

T: F O'BrienJ: J J Burke

In touch, not fluent 6th (chair), blundered badly and lost place 15th (canal turn), pulled up before 3 out op 11/1

Rogue Angel

910-2

20/1

T: M F MorrisJ: R P McLernon

Prominent, slow 1st, driven 10th, soon lost place, pulled up before 16th (valentines) op 22/1

Straidnahanna

810-0

40/1

T: Mrs S J SmithJ: Sean Quinlan

Chased leaders, lost place before 4th, slow and behind 9th, pulled up before 10th op 50/1

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Non-Runners

Vic De Touzaine²⁸

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

T: Miss V Williams J: L Treadwell

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£2.50Pl:£1.80, £2.80, £2.30EX:£15.60Trifecta:£191.80Tricast:£120.30SF:£13.65Swingers:£4.10, £11.60, £16.70

Forecasts

Blaklion (7/4), The Last Samuri (7/1), Vieux Lion Rouge (7/1), Highland Lodge (12/1), Westerner Point (12/1), Viva Steve (12/1), As De Mee (14/1), Goodtoknow (14/1), Vic De Touzaine (16/1), Rogue Angel (20/1), Lord Windermere (25/1), Sizing Codelco (25/1), The Young Master (28/1), Federici (33/1), Portrait King (33/1), Straidnahanna (40/1)

An exciting renewal of the Becher Chase in which the 2016 1-2-3 Vieux Lion Rogue, Highland Lodge and The Last Samurai all re-commence battle. Vieux Lion Rogue produced some sterling efforts thereafter including when downing BLAKLION at Haydock in February (3m4f), and when finishing sixth to One For Arthur in the Grand National, but he returned with a moderate effort in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October; a race in which the selection was narrowly beaten by the subsequent emphatic Grade 1 Betfair Chase winner Bristol De Mai. Like 2015 winner Highland Lodge, and the 2016 Grand National runner up The Last Samurai, Blaklion has nothing to prove over these fences after his fine 8¾L Grand National fourth to One For Arthur. Whilst the potential value in his price has fast evaporated following strong ante-post support, he remains the most likely winner. For those seeking an each-way alternative, the Kerry Lee trained Goodtoknow is a viable option. This nine-year-old wasn’t totally disgraced in finishing 13th in the Grand National in April on his first attempt over these fences, and his earlier 6L second to One For Arthur in Warwick’s Classic Chase represents a rock-solid effort.