14:40 Aintree

Saturday 4 December 2021

All11:1511:4512:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:15

Unibet Becher Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (National Course) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:41 | Winning time: 7m 19.03s

Chris's Dream²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 162

7/1

Has an excellent record fresh and shaped well in the Grand National when last seen in April, still in fourth when unseated rider 4 out. Needs considering.

Form: 10/25PU-

Lord Du Mesnil^p,t¹⁹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Nick Scholfield| T: R Hobson| OR: 153| D

33/1

All stamina and resumed winning ways in Grand National Trial at Haydock in the mud in February. However, let down by jumping at Auteuil in May and in the Grand Sefton over these fences last season.

Form: 4991P-F

Kimberlite Candy^p²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: T Lacey| OR: 150

11/1

Second in last 2 runnings of this with a wide-margin victory in the Classic Chase at Warwick in between. Little went right in Grand National since and likely contender again.

Form: 5P21/2P-

Tout Est Permis^t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 150

14/1

Mixed record last season and pulled up in Grand National final start (lost place when blundered first Canal Turn). Did at least offer something to build on when fifth of 16 at Navan on return.

Form: 9P4FP-5

Ravenhill³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: G Elliott| OR: 150

40/1

Smart chaser though was out of his depth in Grade 1 at Down Royal on return. Probably high enough in the weights back in a handicap.

Form: 1/U683-5

Top Ville Ben^h³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 150

33/1

Three-time Wetherby winner, including in 2019 Rowland Meyrick, but clearly hard to train these days and would appear to have deteriorated considerably judged on both starts this term 6 months apart.

Form: 5313/P5

Domaine De L'Isle^t⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: David Bass| T: S Curran| OR: 147| D

66/1

Form: 84911-P

Vieux Lion Rouge^p,t⁵⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-9| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 145| CD

11/1

Regular in this race, adding to his 2016 success when beating Kimberlite Candy by 24 lengths in last year's renewal off 5 lb lower. Presumably had a pipe-opener for this at Chepstow on return.

Form: 7/510F-7

Snow Falcon⁷³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: Henry Brooke| T: N Meade| OR: 144

18/1

Kept busy this season and holding his form well, though at the same time not looking the force of old. Cheekpieces left off.

Form: 322297

Mac Tottie^t²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: James Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 142| C

15/2

Ended 2020/21 on a high and all the better for return when winning Grand Sefton here 4 weeks ago, producing a career best tackling these fences for the first time. High on shortlist up 7 lb.

Form: 2P12-41

Achille^p²⁵⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 141

13/2

Progressed well in 2018/19, winning 3 of 5 starts. Very lightly raced since but back with 3 excellent runs last season, sixth in Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter latest. Not taken lightly.

Form: P12/226-

Snow Leopardess²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 140| D

4/1

Took well to fences last season and looked better than ever when making a winning return at Bangor last month, producing a superb display of jumping. Obvious candidate for this race.

Form: 21246-1

Didero Vallis^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 137

28/1

Returned to form when striking at Catterick (25f) in February and signed off with good Kelso third in first-time cheekpieces. However, turned in a lacklustre effort at Ascot on return.

Form: 8P1P2-6

Hogan's Height^t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 135| C

18/1

Stormed to victory in the Grand Sefton over these fences in 2019 but it's been slim pickings in 6 outings since.

Form: 5/P60-46

Cobolobo^p,t²⁶¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: R T Dunne| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 134| DWS

28/1

Improved again when making all at Exeter (3m) last season and backed that up with a good second at Ascot. However, struggled in high-end handicaps last 2 starts. Off 8 months. 2 lb out of weights.

Form: P/2125P-

Checkitout³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 133

12/1

Improved with back-to-back 3m wins at Southwell and Ludlow in the spring. Back to form when runner-up at Ascot on return but more needed from 3 lb out of the weights.

Form: 6118P-2

Le Breuil²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny McMenamin| T: B Pauling| OR: 132

18/1

Smart staying chaser who landed NH Chase at Cheltenham Festival in 2019. However, expensive to follow since and struggled at Fontwell on return. 4 lb out of weights.

Form: 4334P-6

Hill Sixteen³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: A M Thomson| OR: 132

14/1

Useful chaser who was back to form when third at Newton Abbot on final outing for Nigel Twiston-Davies. Shaped as if needing run for new yard at Carlisle but up against it here (4 lb out of weights).

Form: 1PPP-36

Via Dolorosa^b,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 130

33/1

Useful jumper at up to 23f in France and shaped as if retaining all that ability when fourth in the Grand Sefton over these fences last month but 6 lb out of the weights on this occasion.

Form: 627-314

Abaya Du Mathan^t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: C J Todd⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 118

100/1

Fairly useful chaser in France but up against it from miles out of the handicap on debut for new connections.

Form: 812312

El Paso Wood^t⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: D Pipe| OR: 117WS

66/1

Fairly useful chaser in France but up against it from miles out of the handicap on debut for new connections.

Form: 2-31111

Non-Runners

Mighty Thunder³⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: Miss Lucinda V Russell J: D R Fox

Forecasts

Snow Leopardess (4/1), Achille (13/2), Mighty Thunder (7/1), Chris's Dream (7/1), Mac Tottie (15/2), Kimberlite Candy (11/1), Vieux Lion Rouge (11/1), Checkitout (12/1), Hill Sixteen (14/1), Tout Est Permis (14/1), Hogan's Height (18/1), Le Breuil (18/1), Snow Falcon (18/1), Didero Vallis (28/1), Cobolobo (28/1), Lord Du Mesnil (33/1), Top Ville Ben (33/1), Via Dolorosa (33/1), Ravenhill (40/1), Domaine De L'Isle (66/1), El Paso Wood (66/1), Abaya Du Mathan (100/1)

SNOW LEOPARDESS produced a superb display of jumping when making all at Bangor on her return and she looks tailor-made for these fences. Chris's Dream was still in fourth when unshipping his rider 4 out in the Grand National and another big run could be on the cards given his excellent record first-time out, while Mac Tottie is another who's high on the shortlist after his win in the Grand Sefton.