How many Becher Chase winners have gone onto win the Grand National will be a question horse racing fans ask as we look forward to the 2023 running of the Aintree race on Saturday.
Do Becher Chase Winners Have A Good Record In The Grand National?
The Becher Chase is one of the few contests run over the unique Grand National fences each year at Aintree. It’s, therefore, often billed as a good trial race for the Merseyside Marathon later that season.
But just how many Becher Chase winners have backed up this title in recent years?
Just Two Becher Chase Winners Went Onto Win The Grand National
With the Becher Chase first being run in 1992, the race has built up over 30 years of history.
The very first running of the Aintree race was won by the Sue Smith-trained Kildimo and ridden by Lorcan Wyer. While the following year in 1993 saw the first of six winners (and counting) from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard when his Indian Tonic won with jockey Chris Maude doing the steering.
It’s also a race that’s staged over the famous Grand National fences so with that comes a link to the big race each year in April.
However, since 1992 there have only ever been two Becher Chase winners that went onto win the Grand National at Aintree.
Plus, with these two wins coming in seasons after their Becher Chase successes, this means we are still looking for a horse to win both the Becher and National in the same campaign.
2001: Amberleigh House
This 2001 Becher Chase winner was trained by the legendary trainer Donald McCain of Red Rum fame and provided the stable with their fourth Grand National success after winning the Becher. McCain’s son, Donald Jnr also won the Grand National in 2011 with Ballabriggs.
However, Amberleigh House’s big day in the Grand National limelight came three years later in 2004, when jockey Graham Lee rode him to win – returning 16/1 with the best horse racing betting sites.
Amberleigh House went onto run 10th in the 2005 Grand National, while his last ever race was when being pulled up in the 2006 renewal.
In fact, Amberleigh House raced twelve more times after winning the National and failed to win another race.
2004: Silver Birch
Trained by Paul Nicholls at the time of his 2004 Becher Chase win, when ridden by Ruby Walsh. However, this horse switched to the Gordon Elliott yard in 2006 and it was during this 2006/07 season that this former Becher Chase winner also landed the Aintree Grand National.
He returned 33/1 with the best betting sites that year and it also came a season after he’d fallen in the 2006 National that was won by Numbersixvalverde.
Like Amberleigh House, Silver Birch also failed to win another race under rules after taking the National. Including falling again in 2009, in the renewal Mon Mome famously won at 100/1.
Silver Birch’s sole victory after his National success came in a Point-to-Point in 2009, while his last ever race was a run in the 2010 Topham Chase at Aintree, where he finished 12th.
Earth Summit Won The Becher Chase AFTER Winning The Grand National
The only other of the Becher Chase winners that has a link back to the Grand National is the 1998 winner Earth Summit.
This horse gave Nigel Twiston-Davies his third win in the Becher and this success came a season AFTER he’d etched his name in the Grand National winners’ hall-of-fame in the 1997/98 campaign.
After winning the 1998 Becher Chase, Earth Summit failed to win another race from six more outings. His last coming in the 1999 Welsh Grand National (9th), a race he’d won already in 1997.
What Other Races Are Run Over The Grand National Fences?
As well as the Grand National – the world’s most famous steeplechase – Aintree stages four more races over the National fences.
The Topham Chase and Foxhunters’ Chase are both run at the National Meeting in April, while the Grand Sefton Chase (November) and Becher Chase (December) are the others.
Meaning each National Hunt season there are only five races that are run over the unique Grand National obstacles.
When Is The 2023 Becher Chase?
📅Date: Saturday 9th December 2023
🕙Time: 2:05pm
🏇Racecourse: Aintree (3m 2f)
💰 Winner: £84,195
📺 TV: ITV4 / Racing TV
See our Becher Chase tips 2023 here.
Becher Chase 2023 Betting Odds
See here the latest Becher Chase 2023 betting odds from BetMGM.
- Ashtown Lad 5/1
- Percussion 6/1
- Fantastic Lady 7/1
- Celebre D’Allen 10/1
- Houston Texas 10/1
- Mister Coffey 10/1
- The Big Breakaway 10/1
- Coko Beach 12/1
Note: Odds are subject to change and others on request
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Becher Chase Winners Since 2022
- 2022 – ASHTOWN LAD (5/1)
- 2021 – SNOW LEOPARDESS (4/1 fav)
- 2020 – VIEUX LION ROUGE (12/1)
- 2019 – WALK IN THE MILL (8/1)
- 2018 – WALK IN THE MILL (10/1)
- 2017 – BLAKLION (7/4 fav)
- 2016 – VIEUX LION ROUGE (8/1 fav)
- 2015 – HIGHLAND LODGE (20/1)
- 2014 – OSCAR TIME (25/1)
- 2013 – CHANCE DU ROY (14/1)
- 2012 – HELLO BUD (14/1)
- 2011 – WEST END ROCKER (10/1)
- 2010 – HELLO BUD (15/2 fav)
- 2009 – VIC VENTURI (7/1)
- 2008 – BLACK APALACHI (15/2)
- 2007 – MR POINTMENT (15/2)
- 2006 – EUROTREK (25/1)
- 2005 – GARVIVONNIAN (33/1)
- 2004 – SILVER BIRCH (4/1 fav)
- 2003 – CLAN ROYAL (11/2)
- 2002 – ARDENT SCOUT (14/1)
WATCH: The 2022 Becher Chase with Ashtown Lad Winning
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