Gesskille is the favourite for Saturday's Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree Racecourse as 25 entries remain at the five-day declaration stage.
The Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero-trained Gesskille is a best priced 5-1 market leader with William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral as he bids to go one better than when narrowly beaten by a nose by Al Dancer at Aintree at the start of this month in the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Grand Sefton Chase, also run over the over the famous Randox Grand National obstacles.
Gesskille steps up to 3m2f from that 2m4f contest last time and will now carry 11st3lb after the weights rose by 10lbs due to six horses at the head of the handicap being taken out at today's five-day declaration stage.
The six-year-old will face last year's winner Snow Leopardess – who is a best-priced 10-1 with several bookmakers – as Charlie Longsdon's 10-year-old mare bids to become the fifth dual winner of the race after Into The Red (1994, 1996), Hello Bud (2010, 2012), Walk In The Mill (2018, 2019), and Vieux Lion Rouge (2016, 2020). Snow Leopardess will now carry 11st12lb.
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 also entered again and is also best-priced 10-1 to go one better.
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With the initial top six entries taken out, including Saturday's Coral Gold Cup hero Le Milos, Nicky Henderson's Caribean Boy is now the top weight and will carry 12st. He is a 25-1 chance.
Dan Skelton's stable has won the two big chases over the last two weekend's with Proktektorat in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and Le Milos taking the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday. Ashtown Lad, who was third over hurdles to Remastered at Aintree earlier this month on his seasonal return, will bid to give him another big-race success in the Becher Chase. The eight-year-old, who finished fifth in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr in April, is vying for favouritism for the Becher with Gesskille but is a best-priced 6-1 with William Hill.
The last Irish-trained winner of the Becher was the late Dessie Hughes' Vic Venturi in 2009. There are four entries from the Emerald Isle who could line up this time with two coming from Ireland’s champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins' yard. Impressive Cork Grand National winner Captain Kangaroo, who is a best-priced 15-2 with Unibet, will now carry 10st5lb, and Recite A Prayer, who also won a National back in May, the Killarney version and was third behind his stablemate, are his entries. Recite A Prayer is a best-priced 20-1 with William Hill.
Others entries in the Becher include Jonjo O'Neill's Cloth Cap – who carries the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings and was sent off favourite for the 2021 Grand National before being pulled up – and Olly Murphy's The Wolf, who finished seventh in the Scottish Grand National and was runner-up to Lord Accord at Cheltenham on his seasonal return last month.
Saturday's card also features the Grade Two Boylesports Many Clouds Chase, won last year by Proktektorat – who recently landed victory at the top level in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
This year's 3m1f contest, run over the Mildmay course, has attracted 10 entries headed by Grade One winner Ahoy Senor, while last season's Grand National winner Noble Yeats could return to Aintree in the same contest.
Noble Yeats was a shock 50-1 winner of the world's greatest steeplechase under amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who was having his final ride of his successful career.
The Emmet Mullins-trained seven-year-old was pulled up on his seasonal debut at Auteuil but bounced back with his third chase victory in a Listed four-runner contest at Wexford last month.
Owner Robert Waley-Cohen said: "He won that Listed race at Wexford as nicely as you could have hoped. Everything went pear-shaped at Auteuil on his first start of the season and you just have to write that one off.
"We didn't learn a huge amount the other day, but he jumped very nicely, which we sort of knew already and so we thought we'd come here and put him in with the big boys and see where he really is. It looks a hell of a good race, though."
Lucinda Russell's seven-year-old won the Grade One Betway Mildmay Novices' Chase over course and distance at the Grand National meeting in April. He was fifth to old rival Bravemansgame in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase on his seasonal return at Wetherby last month and Russell said: "He goes to Aintree this weekend and we are looking forward to it. He is in good form."
Other entries include Gordon Elliott's recent Down Royal scorer Fury Road, who was second to Ahoy Senor at Aintree; stable-mate and last year's Irish Gold Cup hero Conflated; the Nicky Henderson-trained duo of course and distance scorer Chantry House and Dusart – a winner at Ayr in April; and Dashel Drasher, from the Jeremy Scott stable, who scored over hurdles at Aintree at the start of the month.
The seven-race card on Boylesports Becher Chase day sees the action start at Aintree at 11.45am with the opening contest, the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed 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/
Meanwhile trainer Lucinda Russell is aiming Corach Rambler at the Grand National on April 15 in the new year following his decent run in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.
The eight-year-old was fourth at Newbury, beaten around nine lengths by winner Le Milos. Corach Rambler, who won the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, stayed on strongly under Derek Fox and looks an out-and-out stayer. Owned by The Ramblers, Corach Rambler jumped well and is a best-priced 20-1 with Coral, bet365 and Unibet for the Aintree showpiece.
Russell, who won the Grand National with One For Arthur in 2017, said: "We are absolutely delighted. The Grand National is the race we will aim for. He has come out of the race really well.
"He loved it and perhaps an extra mile would have suited him. We are just really pleased with him, he jumped superbly.
"He will go to Kelso for the Premier Chase at the start of March and that will set him up for Aintree. He might come out before that as well."
Corach Rambler is the general 16-1 favourite at this stage for the Aintree highlight.
Entries for the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m1f188y at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, December 3 (2.05pm)
(Horse name, age, weight, owner, trainer)
1 Caribean Boy (FR) 8-12-00 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
2 De Rasher Counter 10-11-13 Makin' Bacon Partnership Emma Lavelle
3 Francky du Berlais (FR) 9-11-13 Mr Roddy Owen Peter Bowen
4 Snow Leopardess 10-11-12 Andrew Fox-Pitt Charlie Longsdon
5 Hill Sixteen 9-11-11 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
6 Fortescue 8-11-11 Mrs L Nixon Henry Daly
7 Top Ville Ben (IRE) 10-11-10 Harbour Rose Partnership Philip Kirby
8 Recite A Prayer (IRE) 7-11-10 The Turner Family WP Mullins Ireland
9 The Jam Man (IRE) 9-11-10 Ronan MP McNally Ronan MP McNally Northern Ireland
10 Fantastikas (FR) 7-11-06 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Nigel Twiston-Davies
11 Cloth Cap (IRE) 10-11-06 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
12 Dr Kananga 8-11-06 Tootell, Tomkies & Tory Ben Clarke
13 Ashtown Lad (IRE) 8-11-04 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton
14 The Wolf (FR) 8-11-04 McNeill Family & Stone Family Olly Murphy
15 Gesskille (FR) 6-11-03 The Nevers Racing Partnership I Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
16 Rapid Flight 6-11-03 Mr D Mills James Moffatt
17 Fagan 12-11-03 Stowe 100 Club Alex Hales
18 Captain Kangaroo (IRE) 7-11-01 Kanga Racing & Brett Graham Syndicate WP Mullins Ireland
19 Enqarde (FR) 8-11-00 Off The Clock Partners & Dr RDP Newland Dr Richard Newland
20 Domaine de L'Isle (FR) 9-10-12 Mr L M Power and Mr Ian Hutchins Sean Curran
21 Five Star Getaway (IRE) 8-10-12 Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott Christian Williams
22 Now Where Or When (IRE) 7-10-10 Mrs Margaret McCrudden SRB Crawford Northern Ireland
23 Percussion 7-10-10 Mr ER Hanbury L J Morgan
24 Didero Vallis (FR) 9-10-07 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams
25 Minella Bobo (IRE) 9-10-00 Moran, Outhart, McDermott, Hyde & Hill Rebecca Curtis
25 entries (Four Irish-trained)
Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Becher Handicap Chase, Boylesports bet: 4-1 Gesskille; 9-2 Ashtown Lad; 7-1 Captain Kangaroo; 10-1 Hill Sixteen, Snow Leopardess; 12-1 Five Star Getaway, The Wolf; 14-1 Dr Kananga, Recite A Prayer; 16-1 Enqarde, Fortescue; 20-1 Cloth Cap, Fantastikas; 22-1 Caribean Boy, Percussion; 25-1 Didero Vallis, Francky du Berlais, Now Where Or When, Rapid Flight, De Rasher Counter; 28-1 Top Ville Ben; 33-1 The Jam Man, Minella Bobo; 40-1 Domaine de L'Isle, Fagan.
