2022 Becher Chase Ante-Post Preview and Tip – DS
2022 Becher Chase Ante-Post Tip
After the high of Sebastopol on Saturday, we fell back down to earth with a bang on Sunday. Kilbarry Chloe was well beaten and it looks like she might need another run or two to reach full fitness. Mercury Lane went well for a long way but faded after the final flight. Regina Dracones fell early on and that meant it was a blank for the day. This weekend we have the Becher Chase, a race we have a good record in. Vieux Lion Rouge won it for us in 2020 and Dave Stevos likes another one at nice odds this season. Check out his 2022 Becher Chase Ante-Post tip below.
2022 Becher Chase
It is often said that the current Grand National fences are much less of a challenge than they were in years gone by. That is true, but I still believe that some horses take to them a lot better than others and it can often pay to back horses that have already completed around the National course. Last year’s winner Snow Leopardess was an exception but Vieux Lion Rouge (2020, 2016), Walk In The Mill (2019), Blaklion (2018) and Highland Lodge (2015) all had form over the fences before going on to win this race.
Snow Leopardess is back to defend her crown on her second start of the season. That run was aborted early after a mistake at the first so maybe she might not be as fit as her trainer had hoped. The horse she beat a nose into 2nd, Hill Sixteen, is also entered but he is now 3lbs worse off with the Longsdon mare. In any case, both those horses would prefer softer ground than we are likely to get this year. The ground at Aintree is currently good to soft and there is no rain forecast before Saturday.
Percussion Fits The Bill
The runner up in the Grand Sefton back in November, Gesskille, is the 5/1 joint fav here. He went down by a nose to Al Dancer off 133 and he is now 4lbs higher. The one I am interested in came home in 3rd in that 21f contest, Percussion. Trained by Laura Morgan, this horse was 8L behind the first two but that trip is a shade sharp for him. He has already won over this trip (on heavy at Fontwell) but the vast majority of his best form has come on a sounder surface.
The 7yo son of Malinas lost his form somewhat following that heavy ground Fontwell win last December. A trio of poor efforts came to an end at Southwell in April when he hacked up in a 20f handicap chase off 108. Another easy win over 24.5f at the same track followed (off 117) and he then chased Al Roc home over what now looks an inadequate test of 21f at Fakenham.
Out Of The Handicap
This horse was out of the handicap by 8lbs when running so well here last time. He raced off a mark of 133 but this time, he’ll be racing off his true mark of 130. He is now 5lbs better off with Gesskille for that 8L reversal here last time and over this extra 5 furlongs, I’d more than fancy him to turn that form around. Percussion was 0.5L in front of Lifetime Ambition at Aintree and he has since run a massive race in the Troytown.
The drying ground will be right up his street and hopefully, regular partner Adam Wedge will be able to take the ride. Two others to note at big odds are Francky Du Berlais and Domaine De L’Isle. The former horse ran a blinder in the Topham in April but he is off a career high mark of 147. Domaine ran a cracker in this last year in 4th but I’d have preferred to see a bit more spark last time out. Percussion looks the most solid option of the three and at 20/1, he is the e/w selection.
