Becher Chase at Aintree

Thoughts of the Grand National will be in most people´s minds at Aintree today as the two top events are run over the National fences- the Becher Chase over 3 1/4 miles at 14.30 and the Grand Sefton over shorter at 16.15. Both races could provide valuable clues to the big meting and the former race in particular is an important tial for theNational itself; several of today´s huge field of 25 ran there last season, or in the Scottish, Welsh, irish and other equivalents. Obviously course experience is a huge advantage here, and we expect last year´s winner Chance Du Roy (Philip Hobbs/ Tom O´Brien) to play a leading role again despite being now 6 lbs higher. Clearly there are many dangers, of whom we would mention Renard (Venetia Williams/ Liam Treadwell), The Package (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), Irish raider Goonyella (Jim Dreaper/ Jonathan Burke) and Highland Lodge (Emma Lavelle/ Andrew Thornton).Paul Nicholls has a strong Hand in thr Grand Sefton with top-weight Rolling Aces (Nick Scholfield) and last year´s winner Rebel Rtebellion (Ryan Mahon), where bennys Mist (venetia/ Trteadwell) and Bob Ford (Rebecca Curtis/ Jamie Moore) could be ther main threats. Ex-German Nexius (Keith Dalgleish/ Keith Renwick) - third to Novellist in the 2012 Union-Rennen- has really improved over hurdles and has gone up 30 lbs for winning his last 3 races; he still has a decent chance in the handicap hurdle at 15.05, but we just prefer Mijhaar (John Ferguson/ Jamie Moore).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Ballybolley - Area Fifty One - Great Try
2. Race: Nyanza - Announcement - Hannah`s Magic
3. Race: Baileys Concerto - Distime - Bincombe
4. Race: Chance Du Roy - Balbriggan - Goonyella
5. Race: Secrete Stream - Dawalan - Nexius
6. Race: Holywell - Ma Filleule - Sam Winner
7. Race: Rolling Aces - Rebel Rebellion - Dolatulo