Last year's winner Snow Leopardess is among the initial 43 entries revealed for the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, December 3.
The near 3m2f contest is one of only five races run over the famous Randox Grand National fences and second of this season after last weekend's Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Grand Sefton Chase.
Currently the sponsors Boylesports have Charlie Longdsdon's Snow Leopardess as 8-1 favourite after he was handed 11st2lb in the weights. The Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero-trained Gesskille is joint 10-1 joint second favourite for the Aintree feature and will carry 10st7lb.
The grey Snow Leopardess became the first mare to win the Becher Chase as she just held on by a nose from the Sandy Thomson-trained Hill Sixteen. Thomson's nine-year-old is entered again and is a best-priced 12-1 to go one better.
Gesskille was another horse beaten by just a nose over the big Aintree obstacles, as he couldn't quite get the better of Al Dancer in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase last Saturday.
The last Irish-trained winner of the Becher was the late Dessie Hughes' Vic Venturi in 2009. But there are nine entries from the Emerald Isle who could line up this time with five coming from Ireland’s champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins' yard with Franco De Port set to carry top weight of 12st. As well as the top weight Mullins quintet includes impressive Cork Grand National winner Captain Kangaroo, who is also 10-1 and will carry 10st5lb, and Recite A Prayer, who also won a National back in May, the Killarney version and was third behind his stablemate. Another Irish raider, Jessica Harrington's Lifetime Ambition is a 10-1 chance and is the second top weight on 11st7lb.
Grand National-winning jockey Robbie Power relishing new roles in racing
The seven-race card on Boylesports Becher Chase day sees the action start at Aintree at 11.50am with the opening contest, the Boylesports Novices Hurdle. The finale, the Boylesports Extra Places Daily Handicap Hurdle, is due off at 3.15pm. Gates open at 10.15am and tickets are priced from £25 for adults, if booked in advance. For more information and to buy tickets go online at https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/events-tickets/becher-chase/
Entries for the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m1f188y at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, December 3
(Horse name, age, weight, owner, trainer)
1 Franco de Port (FR) 7-12-0 Bruton Street V WP Mullins Ireland
2 Lifetime Ambition (IRE) 7-11-07 Linda Mulcahy/Mary Wolridge Mrs J Harrington Ireland
3 Cepage (FR) 10-11-06 The Bellamy Partnership Venetia Williams
4 Le Milos 7-11-06 The Jolly Good Partnership Dan Skelton
5 Lostintranslation (IRE) 10-11-06 Taylor & O'Dwyer Joe Tizzard
6 Roi Mage (FR) 10-11-05 Pryde/Van Der Hoeven/McGladery/Beaumont Patrick Griffin Ireland
7 Caribean Boy (FR) 8-11-04 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
8 De Rasher Counter 10-11-03 Makin' Bacon Partnership Emma Lavelle
9 Francky du Berlais (FR) 9-11-03 Mr Roddy Owen Peter Bowen
10 Snow Leopardess 10-11-02 Andrew Fox-Pitt Charlie Longsdon
11 Hill Sixteen 9-11-01 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
12 Fortescue 8-11-01 Mrs L Nixon Henry Daly
13 Truckers Lodge (IRE) 10-11-01 Gordon & Su Hall Paul Nicholls
14 Top Ville Ben (IRE) 10-11-0 Harbour Rose Partnership Philip Kirby
15 Recite A Prayer (IRE) 7-11-0 The Turner Family WP Mullins Ireland
16 The Jam Man (IRE) 9-11-0 Ronan MP McNally Ronan MP McNally Northern Ireland
17 Commodore (FR) 10-10-12 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams
18 Fantastikas (FR) 7-10-11 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Nigel Twiston-Davies
19 Our Power (IRE) 7-10-11 Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group Sam Thomas
20 Mighty Thunder 9-10-10 Thunder Holdings Ltd Lucinda Russell
21 Cloth Cap (IRE) 10-10-10 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
22 Celebre d'Allen (FR) 10-10-10 Mr Allan Stennett Philip Hobbs
23 Dr Kananga 8-10-10 Tootell, Tomkies & Tory Ben Clarke
24 Lord Accord (IRE) 7-10-09 Lynne & Angus Maclennan Neil Mulholland
25 Ashtown Lad (IRE) 8-10-08 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton
26 The Wolf (FR) 8-10-08 McNeill Family & Stone Family Olly Murphy
27 Egality Mans (FR) 8-10-08 Mrs J Donnelly WP Mullins Ireland
28 Gesskille (FR) 6-10-07 The Nevers Racing Partnership I Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
29 Rapid Flight 6-10-07 Mr D Mills James Moffatt
30 Musical Slave (IRE) 9-10-07 Mr John P McManus Philip Hobbs
31 Fagan 12-10-07 Stowe 100 Club Alex Hales
32 Full Back (FR) 7-10-05 Mr Ashley Head Gary Moore
33 Rambranlt'jac (FR) 6-10-05 Watch This Space Syndicate WP Mullins Ireland
34 Captain Kangaroo (IRE) 7-10-05 Kanga Racing & Brett Graham Syndicate WP Mullins Ireland
35 Enqarde (FR) 8-10-04 Off The Clock Partners & Dr RDP Newland Dr Richard Newland
36 Domaine de L'Isle (FR) 9-10-2 Mr L M Power and Mr Ian Hutchins Sean Curran
37 Five Star Getaway (IRE) 8-10-02 Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott Christian Williams
38 Now Where Or When (IRE) 7-10-0 Mrs Margaret McCrudden SRB Crawford Northern Ireland
39 Percussion 7-10-0 Mr ER Hanbury L J Morgan
40 One More Fleurie (IRE) 8-9-12 Mr K McKenna Ian Williams
41 Didero Vallis (FR) 9-9-11 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams
42 Minella Bobo (IRE) 9-9-04 Moran, Outhart, McDermott, Hyde & Hill Rebecca Curtis
43 Boughtbeforelunch (IRE) 9-8-13 Let Us Do Lunch Partnership Paul Webber
43 entries (9 Irish-trained)
Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Becher Handicap Chase, Boylesports bet: 8-1 Snow Leopardess; 10-1 Captain Kangaroo, Gesskille, Lifetime Ambition; 12-1 Ashtown Lad, Lord Accord, 14-1 Five Star Getaway, Hill Sixteen, Le Milos, Lostintranslation, Musical Slave; 16-1 Cloth Cap, Fortescue, Our Power, The Wolf; 18-1 Recite A Prayer; 20-1 Egality Mans; 22-1 Caribean Boy, Percussion; 25-1 Celebre d’Allen, Dr Kananga, Enqarde, Fantastikas, Francky du Berlais, Now Where Or When, Rapid Flight, The Jam Man, Top Ville Ben, Truckers Lodge; 33-1 Cepage, Commodore, Didero Vallis, Domaine de Lisle, Franco de Port, Full Back, Mighty Thunder, Rambranltjac, Roi Mage; 40-1 De Rasher County, Fagan; 50-1 Minella Bobo; 66-1 Boughtbeforelunch, One More Fleurie.
