BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase: Runner by runner betting guide
Who doesn't love the sight of some of the best jumpers in racing taking on the test of the Grand National fences?
The thrills and spills of 21🐻 fences in the Bechers Chase await us, and here is my runner-by-runner betting guide and key trends to he❀lp you navigate through the 12 declared runners.
You will also find the best online horse racing bookmakers, who offer the best ꦏsign-up offers and horse racing promotions.
Becher Handicap Chase key trends
✅ 25 of the 32 winners have run at least 13 times over fences
✅ 25 of the 32 winners had run during October or November
✅ 23 of the 32 winners carried 10st 12lb or less
✅ 21 of the 32 winners had previous experience of the Grand National course
✅ Three of the past eight favourites have won
❌ Only one of the past 25 winners was rated in the 150s
❌ Only three of the past 18 winners were rated below 135
❌ Only three of the 32 winners were ages seven
❌ O🧔nly six of the 32 winners returned at odds greater than 14/1
Becher Handicap Chase runner by runner betting guide
Now it’s time to take a in-depth look into runners of the Becher Handicap Chase and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.
🏇 7 King Turgeon
- Age: 6
- Weight: 10st 4lb
- Form: 52B-11
- Rating: 133
- Jockey: Jack Tudor
- Trainer: David Pipe
- Odds: 4/1
King Turgeon comes in here on the top of his game after back-to-back wins, including a win over the national fences last time out in the Grand Sefto𒉰n.
He jumped around the courseဣ like a seasoned professional and won well in the end by ove🙈r three lengths.
That was over two miles and five furlongs, but he no💧w steps back up in a trip to three miles and two furlongs, the distance which saw him run out and ten-length winner at Chepstow on his seasonal return.
He comes in here today with an eight-pound higher mark, but that should not be enough to keep him out of the picture, given that he could be e🎐ven better over this trip.
David Pipe has excelled with horses in the mould of King Turgeon, and based o⛎n his ꦉfirst experience of the national fences, he could be a force to be reckoned with around here for years to come.
✅ Faultless on his first start over the national fences
✅ A young horse on the up
✅ The extra distance sꩵhould bring out more improv🍬ement
❌ Eight pounds higher in the weights
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on King Turgeon with talkSPORT BET 🐎
🏇 11 Gaboriot
- Age: 8
- Weight: 10st 2lb
- Form: 1U-113
- Rating: 131
- Jockey: Henry Brooke
- Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
- Odds: 9/2
Last seen finishing just over four lengths behind King Turgeon in the🐟 Grand Sefton, Gaboriot comes 🌠in here with a two-pound swing in the weights.
The 🎶two-pound swing may mak꧙e little to no difference, but the step up in trip may bring them closer together.
He's a winner over four miles in the past, so there are no worries with the distance. Having unseated his rider on his only previous start over the national fences when hitting the Canal Turn, he may have gained a lot of confidence from a clear round last time.
It's still unclear if he wants conditions-turning testing, but if he performs under those conditions, few will stay on like Gaboriot.
✅ A good winning strike rate
✅ Stays this far and further
✅ Has a swing in the weights with King Turgeon
❌ Unclear if he wants testing conditions
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Gaboriot with Sky Bet 🐎
🏇 1 Chianti Classico
- Age: 7
- Weight: 12st 0lb
- Form: 1214-1
- Rating: 157
- Jockey: Jonathan Burke
- Trainer: Kim Bailey
- Odds: 5/1
Chianti Classico is the class angle of the race, and he will have hi๊s eyes firmly set on the big day back here in April. But will today be his day?
I am a huge fan of this Cheltenham Festival winner. He made an impressive comeback to win a Premie﷽r Handicap Chase at Ascot off 152, giving over a stone to the runner-up.
He has been hit with another five-pound rise in the weights here, and given Chianti Classico's build, the weight shouldn't be an issue on any normal race day.
But on his first start over the national fences on what will likely be testing ground, it may be enoughꦯ to weigh him down today.
He is the most talented horse in the race, and I am surprised that they are going down the Grand National route with him, given h🃏is tal🎀ent, but he may find it tough in these conditions under top weight.
✅ Processes a tremendous amount of talent
✅ Still improving
✅ A fantastic jumper
❌ Has to shoulder top weight
❌ May get caught up in a pace battle
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Chianti Classico with Paddy Power 🐎
🏇 5 Cruz Control
- Age: 7
- Weight: 10st 11lb
- Form: 511-47
- Rating: 140
- Jockey: Stan Sheppard
- Trainer: Tom Lacey
- Odds: 7/1
Cruz Control is no stranger to finding his way into the winners' enclosure on big days, as seen when he took the William Hill Handicap Chase on the Mildmay course on Grand National Day in April.
He c🎃omes in here after a pipe opener over hurdles and is one to take very seriously off just a four-pound higher mark.
Stamina will be no issue, and for someone who jumps so well over conventional fences, it's hard to see him not taking to this challenge.
He's one of the more likelier ones.
✅ Will have no ground or stamina worries
✅ A fantastic jumper
❌ Wilꦜl be taken be part of what should be a fast ꧒pace
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Cruz Control with Midnite 🐎
🏇 6 Iron Bridge
- Age: 8
- Weight: 10st 7lb
- Form: 23P8-3
- Rating: 136
- Jockey: Jonjo O'Neill Jr
- Trainer: Jonjo O'Neill & A J O'Neill
- Odds: 8/1
Having missed his engagement in t𓂃he Coral Gold Cup last weekend due to unsuitable ground, th🦩ere will be no worries on that front here for Iron Bridge.
He is a horse that always﷽ looked like he had a race like this in him, and he made a 🍃more than satisfactory comeback at Carlise to make me think no different.
Last season, he performed well in the Welsh National, finishing second behind runaway winner Nassalam. He followed that up by staying on third in deep ground in t🐬he Grand National Trial at Haydock.
If this turns into a slog, then Iron Bridge, at 🍸ten stone and seven 🐼pounds, may be weighted to go extremely close here.
He's a big each-way player.
✅ Looks in off a nice weight
✅ Should have a race like this in him
❌ A slow place may not play to his strengths
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Iron Bridge with bet365 🐎
🏇 4 Arizona Cardinal
- Age: 8
- Weight: 10st 13lb
- Form: P111-P
- Rating: 142
- Jockey: Charlie Hammond
- Trainer: Stuart Edmunds
- Odds: 12/1
Arizona Cardinal caused a minor shock in the Topham Chase✤ over this course on Grand National week when 🐎getting the better of his 23 rivals.
He was pulled up on his comeback at Chepstow in October, but the run wasn't as bad as it seemed.
Having jumped and travelled well for a long way, fitness told and he wasᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚꦕᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ pulled up three out.
This race would have been an early season target for Stꦑuart Edmunds with Arizona Cardinal, so expect to see him leave his comeback run well behind him here and put up a strong showing.
He's one of the leading each-way players.
✅ A course winner
✅ No ground worries
❌ Will need to leave his comeback run well behind
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Arizona Cardinal with Betfred 🐎
🏇 3 Chambrad
- Age: 12
- Weight: 11st 2lb
- Form: 21P88-
- Rating: 145
- Jockey: Miss Lucy Turner (5)
- Trainer: Venetia Williams
- Odds: 14/1
Last year's winner and a horse I have a lot of time forever since he pulled off the unthinkable by winning the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival at 40/1.
He will look to retaಌin his crown off a five-pound higher mark, which will be difficult at the age of 12.
But, as we have seen so many times with Venetia Williams, she can get a horse to perform♛ at the pick of their powers first time out.
This is Venetia's time of year, and she is in flying form, which only adds to Chambard's appeal.
The ground is likely to be on the tes🅺ting side, and it will p🌠lay into the strengths of Chambard here.
He won this by 13 lengths last season, and a repeat of 🐠that run would see him go very close to retaining his crown.
Lucy Turner gets on well with🤪 him, and he is a standout each-way player.
✅ A 15-length winner of this last season
✅ Will be primed for this
✅ Has onl𝔍y finished outside the top two on nine of his 20 starts over fences
❌ Age is not on his side
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️⭐
🏇 2 Celebre d'Allen
- Age: 12
- Weight: 11st 4lb
- Form: 45U4-1
- Rating: 147
- Jockey: Micheal Nolan
- Trainer: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
- Odds: 16/1
He is well into the veteran stage of his career but showed that there is plenty of life left ♎in him with a five-length win on his comeback at Bangor, where the result never looked in any doubt.
He has 38 lengths to find with Chambard on last year's running, and only gets a three-pound swing in the weights today.
The heavy ground over this trip may have contributed to his performance, as he has since gone on to perform well back over this co🍌urse when beaten two lengths into fourth behind Arizona Cardinal.
He seems to run best when the ground is not deep, so it🉐 will be interesting to see how he gets on if the rain stays away.
✅ Showed that he retains plenty of ability
✅ Has run well over these fences
❌ May not want deep ground
❌ Well beaten in last year's running
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Celebre d'Allen with BetMGM 🐎
🏇 9 Major Dundee
- Age: 9
- Weight: 10st 2lb
- Form: 35PU-6
- Rating: 131
- Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
- Trainer: Alan King
- Odds: 16/1
Major Dundee needs a major upturn in form to get seriously involved he൩re.
Last season was nothing short of a disaster for෴ Major Dundee, as he found it hard to get competitive in some major staying handicaps.
He was beaten 33 lengths in the Welsh National, pulled up in the Grand National Trial at Warwick, unseated his jockey in the Eider Chase, and started this season with a 23-length sixth behind Celebre d'Allen.
It's fair to say that he desperately needs a confidence boost, and you will be hanging your hopes that the switch to the Grand National course will do the trick.
He needs more to recommend right now.
✅ The Grand National fences may spark a revival
✅ Won't lack stamina
❌ Clearly out of form
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️
🐎 Bet on Major Dundee with Copybet 🐎
🏇 12 Percussion
- Age: 9
- Weight: 10st 2lb
- Form: 42-427
- Rating: 131
- Jockey: Harry Reed
- Trainer: Laura Morgan
- Odds: 25/1
Percussion is a regular 😼over this course, but he has found it hard to get his𒆙 head in front numerous times.
He weakened out of it quickly beh✤ind King Turgeon last time, and there is no excuse for it🅘.
It will be hard for🌃 him to get closer to King Turgeon on that run, and this is a lot stronger than what h🍸e faced last time.
He can run well but shou✤ld find a few that are too good for hi🉐m.
✅ A course regular
✅ Is better than what he showed last time
❌ Hasn't won for over two years
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️
🐎 Bet on Percussion with Spreadex 🐎
🏇 8 Monte Igueldo
- Age: 7
- Weight: 10st 3lb
- Form: 4P-323
- Rating: 132
- Jockey: Paul O'Brien
- Trainer: Gary Hammer
- Odds: 33/1
He ♚held his form well in the summer behind some decent hors🍸es for that time of year and has just put in a satisfactory comeback run at Bangor, but this is a big step up from what he has been facing over the summer.
Nothing from his previous runs wওould suggestꦚ that he will be troubling the leading players today.
✅ Made a satisfactory comeback
❌ This will be his biggest test to date
❌ Needs a big jolt of improvement to get involved
Star rating: ⭐️
🐎 Bet on Monte Igueldo with Ladbrokes 🐎
🏇 10 Now Where Or When
- Age: 9
- Weight: 10st 2lb
- Form: 57496-
- Rating: 131
- Jockey: Sean Bowen
- Trainer: S R B Crawford
- Odds: 66/1
It will be a case of now, where did that come from if Now Where Or When wa🍸s to be fighting out the finish here.
This nine-year-old hasn't won for over two years and was comprehensively beaten in all five of his starts last season.
He's an easy pass.
✅ It's hard to find any
❌ Hasn't won in over two years
❌ Out of his depth
Star rating: ⭐️
🐎 Bet on Now Where Or When with Parimatch 🐎
BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase verdict
As you would expect, there are many in with chances here, but I want to again side with last year's winner, CHAMBARD.
Last year, he was a 15-length winner, beating Coco Beach, and is now just off a five pounds hi🐼gher mark.
The more rain that fa🍬lls, the better his chances 𝔍become.
The cla🉐ssy Chianti Classico and last-time-out winner King Turgeon also have a big part to play.
- Current betting: King Turgeon 4/1, Gaboriot 9/2, Chianti Classico 5/1, Cruz Control 7/1, Iron Bridge 8/1, Arizona Cardinal 12/1, Chambard 14/1, 16/1 bar.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube's . Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you're a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
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