Becher Chase Preview: Follow Captain sensible

When more rhetorical commentators describe the qualities associated with Aintree's National course, terms like 'courage', 'resilience' and 'the symbiotic relationship between horse and rider' will often be close to hand. It seems a bit strange, then, that one of the 16 fences on the course, as well as one of the five races a year it plays host to, are named after a man whose most famous act was to hide in a ditch after he'd fallen off his horse.

That admittedly does something of a disservice to Martin Becher, who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was one of the pre-eminent riders of his day. He also played an important role in the founding of the Grand National in the 1830's, which is probably why Aintree chose to name what's now arguably the second-biggest race over the National fences in his honour back in 1992.

The Becher Chase, due to its being significantly longer than the likes of the Topham, is rightly seen as the leading dress-rehearsal for the Grand National. Three horses have won both races (Earth Summit after he took the National, Amberleigh House and Silver Birch before), while the likes of Clan Royal, Black Apalachi and Into The Red just among the Becher winners have also featured prominently in the big one.

The theme continues this year, with several of those entered already having encountered the Grand National. On His Own was the long-time ante-post favourite for this spring's National, that itself on the power of what he'd shown in the race the year before. He's currently favourite for this year's Becher, and is surely well handicapped from a lower mark than he's carried for either try in April.

The problem with On His Own isn't simply that he's fallen on both tries around this course; the context of those falls doesn't exactly encourage. He had jumped well prior to getting second Becher's wrong and coming down on his debut, while he made a few mistakes prior to exiting at second Valentine's in April over what are apparently softer fences. Even the inclination to make the odd mistake can cost around Aintree- or at any rate that's how we'll treat it until a body of evidence over the new fences tells us otherwise- so at around 7.06/1 On His Own looks short enough.

There are also doubts hanging over several others among the market leaders. Join Together, last year's runner-up on more testing ground, has a couple of poor runs this autumn to explain away. Walkon's stamina is far from proven, while his reappearance on the Mildmay Course left a little to be desired. Roberto Goldback made an inglorious debut over the National fences in April. Across The Bay is the strongest in the betting at the time of writing, but although the logic is easy to see his showing in the National, when he was prominent for a long way before he paid for forceful tactics, it was peppered with jumping errors.

One whose profile has few holes is Wyck Hill. A bold-jumping front runner, the type that do so well around here (the importance of a prominent ride is often overlooked over the National course), Wyck Hill beat Katenko fair and square at about this time last year. He is now just 5 lb higher, while Katenko has gone up 21 lb in the interim and shaped as though still ahead of his mark before coming down at the fourteenth in the Hennessy on Saturday. With his recent reappearance at Ascot likely to act as a sharpener, Wyck Hill can prove his worth over these fences on Saturday.

With so many of the market principals difficult to have much faith in, a couple of the bigger-priced runners become attractive all of a sudden. Big Fella Thanks was third in this last year on much softer ground. A greater speed test will evidently suit, but he has a long-standing reputation for doing his best work on the bridle at the best of times, so he's a sporting each-way bet rather than one to lump on.

One from the stable with a similar profile, Chartreux, makes even more appeal. He's far less exposed and gives the impression of one who'll thrive over the National fences. Prices around 30.029/1 understate the chance Chartreux has, with his jumping and stamina also beyond reproach here.

With all that said, if you have one bet in the Becher make it Bennys Mist. He improved through last season, impressing with his jumping in winning three times over fences and showing useful form in spite of shaping as though this sort of test will bring out the best in him. He flopped when sent off among the market principals in the Topham back in April, but on closer inspection that's no reason to be discouraged. That was Bennys Mist's third run in a month, which is a far more plausible reason for his flat run when you consider he'd jumped perfectly well until he started dropping away. Everything in his profile up to now suggests these fences will pose him few problems, while the continued good form of the Venetia Williams yard puts yet more in Bennys Mist's favour.

Were Captain Becher still around today, precedent suggests he'd play it safe and hedge his bets in the latest renewal of his race. On this occasion you're advised to take heed. Chartreux and even Big Fella Thanks can be back-up options, but the recommendation is to go with Wyck Hill and Bennys Mist, either of which could easily return here in the spring for a tilt at Grand National glory.

Recommendation: 
Back Bennys Mist & Wyck Hill in the Becher Chase

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