The Becher Chase is a Listed National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and 2 furlongs (5,230 metres), and during its running there are twenty-one fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
It is run over the same fences as Aintree's most famous race, the Grand National, and it serves as an early-season trial for that event. One of the obstacles jumped is Becher's Brook, which is named in memory of Martin Becher (1799–1864). The Becher Chase was established in 1992, when a new race meeting was introduced at Aintree. For the twenty years prior to this, the Grand National meeting had been the venue's only horse racing fixture of the year.
Year |
Winner |
Age |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
1992 | Kildimo | 12 | 10-03 | Lorcan Wyer | Sue Smith |
1993 | Indian Tonic | 7 | 10-06 | Chris Maude | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
1994 | Into the Red | 10 | 10-04 | Richard Guest | John White |
1995 | Young Hustler | 8 | 12-00 | Chris Maude | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
1996 | Into the Red | 12 | 10-00 | Tony Dobbin | Mary Reveley |
1997 | Samlee | 8 | 10-00 | Rodney Farrant | Philip Hobbs |
1998 | Earth Summit | 10 | 12-00 | Tom Jenks | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
1999 | Feels Like Gold | 11 | 10-00 | Tony Dobbin | Nicky Richards |
2000 | Young Kenny | 9 | 12-00 | Russ Garritty | Peter Beaumont |
2001 | Amberleigh House | 9 | 10-09 | Warren Marston | Ginger McCain |
2002 | Ardent Scout | 10 | 09-11 | Dominic Elsworth | Sue Smith |
2003 | Clan Royal | 8 | 10-12 | Liam Cooper | Jonjo O'Neill |
2004 | Silver Birch | 7 | 10-01 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
2005 | Garvivonnian | 10 | 10-04 | Garrett Cotter | Ned Mitchell |
2006 | Eurotrek | 10 | 11-07 | Liam Heard | Paul Nicholls |
2007 | Mr Pointment | 8 | 11-05 | Sam Thomas | Paul Nicholls |
2008 | Black Apalachi | 9 | 10-05 | Denis O'Regan | Dessie Hughes |
2009 | Vic Venturi | 9 | 11-12 | Paddy Flood | Dessie Hughes |
2010 | Hello Bud | 12 | 10-05 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2011 | West End Rocker | 9 | 10-10 | Wayne Hutchinson | Alan King |