Becher Chase Preview: I'll take that Thanks

The Becher Chase will take place at Aintree on Saturday

Keith Melrose takes a look at Saturday's Becher Chase and the inevitable march towards Christmas.

With us now being in early-December, it can't be long before children up and down the land start wondering, sometimes aloud, why we can't celebrate Christmas every day. 

Were I unfortunate enough to be lumbered with inquisitive nippers, I'd point them in the direction of Andy Park, the man who claims to have celebrated Christmas every day since July 1993. As you'd expect, Park is reported to be fat and poor, the latter so much that he's had to release a promotional single and is said to charge 200 an interview. So much for Christmas spirit.

The idea of having too much of a good thing extends to racing, too, and on this Advent weekend more than most. Like many, I find the sight of a big field streaming over the National fences at Aintree one of racing's greatest thrills, but by the same token most will appreciate that thrill would be cheapened if races were to be staged over the world's most famous course at every Aintree fixture, rather than just five times a season.

This weekend sees two of those five races run within a 70-minute spell, the Grand Sefton at 15:20 but, perhaps more significantly, the Becher earlier on the same card. More significantly because both history and logic would suggest that, come April, the Becher Chase is more likely to have a bearing on the National itself. Already this century, two Grand National winners (Amberleigh House and Silver Birch) and two runners-up (Clan Royal and Black Apalachi) had previously won the Becher.

So, are there any future Grand National winners lurking in this year's renewal? Probably not. Former National hero Ballabriggs and last year's wide-margin Becher winner West End Rocker are vying for favouritism and, although both have quite possibly had their turn, they have dropped in the weights somewhat since they lined up here in April and look realistically handicapped, albeit without necessarily being well in.

Of those on their way up to tackling the Grand National, there's a good chance that Alfie Sherrin will ultimately be National-bound this season and his form last spring would suggest there's still some give in his BHA mark of 136. The fear is that, given the patience that his connections are renowned for, this may just be seen as a means of testing Alfie Sherrin's sometimes dubious jumping ahead of any tilt at the big one.

The other two main supposed up and comers are Join Together and Problema Tic. All other things being equal, I have little doubt that Problema Tic is the more interesting from his current mark, though the manner in which he shaped over a slightly longer trip at Cheltenham last time would suggest that, with soft conditions looking set to prevail at Aintree, he may find his stamina stretched once more. Conversely, a plod through the mud could be just what Join Together needs. He looked slow against the best of the novices last year and returned with a run at Ascot which furthered the idea that a test of stamina is required for him to flourish. A generally sound jumper, this race could prove to be right up Join Together's street, though improvement will almost certainly be required to defy a BHA mark of 148 and that tempers enthusiasm about odds of just 11.010/1.

We've already talked about the translation of Becher wins into bold bids for the National, but what about the other way around? There isn't much of a recent precedent, but common sense alone should tell you that there's no barrier to it happening, aside from the suspicion that a horse's mark can suffer inordinately for a prominent showing in the Grand National. 

Big Fella Thanks was fourth in the 2010 National, actually shaping like the best horse at the weights before his stamina gave out late on, but he is now actually 1 lb lower after missing 2011/12 with injury. Significantly, he also joined the in-form Tom George yard before his belated reappearance in a veterans' race on the Mildmay course here, when he was backed into favouritism but unshipped Paddy Brennan at quite an early stage. Nonetheless, the message was clear: his new connections think they have Big Fella Thanks back to near his best. George has also revealed that the Becher has been the plan all along for Big Fella Thanks, so you can expect this dual big-handicap winner to be fighting fit ahead of Saturday.

With most of the perceived protagonists for next spring's Grand National absent, this year's Becher Chase doesn't have the feel of a trial like some previous renewals have. Still, there's plenty of significant course experience on offer from the likes of Ballabriggs, West End Rocker and Big Fella Thanks. Considering that the last-named of that trio looks the best treated and yet currently sits at the biggest price, I see only one way to go in terms of putting my cash down and suggest you do the same. If he does the business, it'll feel like Christmas has come three weeks early. Just don't tell the kids.

Recommendation

Back Big Fella Thanks @ 14.5n/a in the Becher Chase