13:30 Aintree

Saturday 8 December 2018

All11:5512:2513:0013:3014:0514:4015:15

Becher Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (National Course)

Off time: 13:36 | Winning time: 6m 51.90s

1^st

Walk In The Mill

810-3

10/1

T: R WalfordJ: James Best

Chased leaders, not fluent 11th or 14th, 7th 3 out, closed to take 2nd when not fluent 2 out, led before elbow, soon clear, ridden out op 14/1

2^nd

4 ½

Vieux Lion Rouge

910-12

11/1

T: D PipeJ: T Scudamore

Towards rear, closed 4th, lost place 8th, not fluent 14th (foinavon), remote 11th 3 out, progress into 6th last, stayed on from last, went 2nd final 100 yards, no impression on winner tchd 12/1

3^rd

1 ½

Ultragold

1011-0

12/1

T: C L TizzardJ: T J O'Brien

Led until after 1st, chased leaders, 3rd 3 out, disputing 2nd 100 yards out, no impression on winner, kept on tchd 14/1

4^th

1 ¾

Call It Magic

810-1

14/1

T: R O'SullivanJ: M A Enright

Led after 1st, prominent, jumped left and headed 6th, led after next, headed before 8th, led 17th, went left next, clear between 3 out and 2 out, headed before elbow, lost 2nd 100 yards out op 16/1

5^th

2 ½

Federici

910-0

33/1

T: D McCain JnrJ: B S Hughes

Mid-division on inside, hampered 6th, headway on inside 12th, 4th 3 out, one pace before elbow

6^th

Missed Approach

810-12

12/1

T: W GreatrexJ: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (3)

Very slowly away, behind, headway when not fluent 4th, led before 8th, mistake 12th, headed 17th, hampered next, beaten and one pace from last op 11/1

7^th

Just A Par

1110-12

50/1

T: James MoffattJ: Sean Quinlan

Mid-division, hampered 6th, remote 9th 3 out, well beaten next

8^th

2 ¼

Present Man

811-3

11/1

T: P F NichollsJ: Bryony Frost

Prominent, led 6th, headed after next, 5th 3 out, weakened next

9^th

3 ½

Noble Endeavor

911-4

14/1

T: G ElliottJ: Keith Donoghue

Chased leaders, slow and lost a few places 3rd, remote 10th 3 out, well beaten from next

10^th

Crosshue Boy

810-10

12/1

T: S DoyleJ: D J Mullins

Chased leaders, not fluent 10th, blundered and lost place 18th, 8th 3 out, well held next op 10/1

11^th

Blaklion

911-10

9/2f

T: N & W Twiston-DaviesJ: Sam Twiston-Davies

Mid-division, closed 13th, mistake and rider lost iron briefly 15th (canal turn), 6th 3 out, well beaten next tchd 5/1

12^th

4 ½

Dare To Endeavour

1110-0

66/1

T: P GriffinJ: A W Short (3)

Hampered start, behind, hampered 2nd, tailed off 13th 3 out

Also Ran

Don Poli

911-12

10/1

T: G ElliottJ: Jack Kennedy

Prominent early, chased leaders, lost place before 13th, tailed off 12th 3 out, pulled up before 2 out op 11/1

Ballyoptic

811-7

15/2

T: N & W Twiston-DaviesJ: Thomas Bellamy

Reluctant to leave start, held up towards rear, headway 10th, chasing leaders when fell next op 8/1

Regal Flow

1110-6

20/1

T: R H BucklerJ: James Bowen

Towards rear, mistake 10th, blundered and unseated rider 14th (foinavon)

Highland Lodge

1210-1

16/1

T: James MoffattJ: Henry Brooke

Prominent, hampered and fell 6th (chair) op 14/1 tchd 20/1

Fine Theatre

810-0

14/1

T: P NolanJ: J J Burke

Fell 2nd op 33/1

Mustmeetalady

810-0

40/1

T: J & A O'NeillJ: R P McLernon

Towards rear on outside, mistakes, well beaten 17th, pulled up before next op 100/1

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£13.30Pl:£3.50, £3.00, £2.90, £4.00EX:£135.30Trifecta:£2,375.90Tricast:£1,365.87SF:£114.84Swingers:£27.60, £42.80, £38.20

Forecasts

Blaklion (9/2), Ballyoptic (15/2), Walk In The Mill (10/1), Don Poli (10/1), Vieux Lion Rouge (11/1), Present Man (11/1), Ultragold (12/1), Missed Approach (12/1), Crosshue Boy (12/1), Call It Magic (14/1), Noble Endeavor (14/1), Fine Theatre (14/1), Highland Lodge (16/1), Regal Flow (20/1), Federici (33/1), Mustmeetalady (40/1), Just A Par (50/1), Dare To Endeavour (66/1)

Few horses relish these fences more than last year's winner BLAKLION who absolutely hosed up in the contest, winning by 9L in similarly heavy ground. He is 5lb higher in the weights now but if performing at last year's level he should have little trouble overcoming that. The sternest test may come from stablemate Ballyoptic if he takes to the fences. He ended his novice campaign with a nose defeat in the Scottish National and looks an ideal sort for the Grand National itself this season. Also on the shortlist are high class Don Poli and Missed Approach with the former a huge player if he retains all of his ability.

Blaklion
Ballyoptic
Don Poli

Previous Winners

2017

Blaklion

Weight: 11-6 |Age: 8

J: G Sheehan | T: N & W Twiston-Davies

7/4

Prize Money

1st: £84,195.002nd: £31,665.003rd: £15,825.004th: £7,905.005th: £3,975.006th: £1,980.007th: £1,020.008th: £540.009th: £300.0010th: £150.00