The Becher Meeting 1992-2024

When Aeriel III passed the post last of eight finishers in the 1965 Becher Chase he was the last horse to complete the course over jumps at the old Autumn mixed meeting which had staged three races over the National fences (the Becher, Molyneux & Grand Sefton Chases). With the exception of a brief resumption of the Autumn meeting (a one day affair) held in October 1972 and two dire two day flat meetings in the summer of 1975 racing at Aintree was restricted to just the three day National meeting for the next twenty five years. When the racecourse was purchased by the Jockey Club in 1983 the first priority was to update the ramshackle facilities, the second was to try and extend racing. With the completion of the Queen Mother Stand in 1991 the racecourse was laying the foundations to become a full time racecourse once more and later that year it was announced that there would be an additional fixture that would take place on Saturday 21st November 1992. The meeting was named after Aintree's most famous landmark and the centrepiece would be a new race run over the National fences. A new meeting, a new race and a new distance of three miles and three furlongs which would start by the Canal Turn and would incorporate a circuit and a half of the National course. The Becher Chase was born.

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Becher Chase day remains one of my favourite in the calender and I was there for that first meeting which was also my first visit to my own personal Valhalla. I have managed several others over the years - a whole website could be devoted to it. In these pages though time and space restricts me to a brief year by year history of the fixture with a few stats thrown in for good measure.

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* denotes - I was there

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1992* - The inaugural Becher meeting was staged in driving rain. The heavens opened over Merseyside during the morning of the meeting and it didn`t stop raining all day. Visibility was poor and conditions for racegoers straining to get a view of the action from the roof of the County and Queen Mother Stands were extremely unpleasant indeed. There was some disappointment with field sizes with only one race reaching double figures. Only ten horses were declared for the  first Becher Chase and with former National third Brown Windsor withdrawn on the day due to the state of the ground only nine horses went to post. However, if the field was lacking in quantity it more than made up for it in quality with the current Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Ground and a former National hero Seagram taking part as well as a Topham winner (The Antartex) and a Scottish National winner (Four Trix). Seagram made mistakes and was clearly not enjoying himself when he unseated at the Chair whilst Cool Ground crashed out at the fence before Bechers. In the end the winner was the top class Kildimo, a former contemporary of Desert Orchid who had never quite lived up to the immense promise he had showed as a novice. Kildimo never put a foot wrong and I am certain that he would have equipped himself well in a National but sadly his was the void race of 1993 and he was one of nine runners left at the start. Out of the gloom Kildmo was chased home by three greys filling the minor positions. It may have been a miserable day but with over eleven thousand people in attendance the meeting was judged a success.

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1993* - After the debacle of the void National the previous April there was perhaps understandable nervousness at Aintree on what was a bright, sunny but bitterly cold day. A thick frost thawed just in time to allow racing to go ahead although there was still ice left on the water jump. The new Grand National starting gate was unveiled prior to the start of a new race to be run over the National fences with another new distance. Opening proceedings the two mile John Parrett Memorial Chase (named after the late clerk of the course) was run over one circuit of the National course. Seven runners lined up in a race which saw considerable grief with only two completing the course. Adrian Maguire, blazing the trail on Howe Street took a crashing fall two from home when in a commanding lead. An hour later in the Becher Chase when riding favourite Ushers Island Maguire took another nasty fall at the same fence when challenging the long time leader and eventual winner Indian Tonic. The latter went on to record a memorable Aintree double later in the season when landing the 1994 Topham. Eleven lined up in the Becher Chase but other events attract small fields with the two novice chases attracting just three runners apiece.

 

1994 - The John Parrett Chase run this year after the Becher Chase is the first race over the National fences not to be screened live by the BBC since cameras were invited into Aintree in 1960. A recording is shown of the race in which all five runners complete the course without mishap. The veteran Young Snugfit is a popular winner. Into the Red, who had unseated at the final fence in the National wins his first Becher Chase after Indian Tonic crashed out in spectacular fashion two fences from home when trying to make all the running for a second year. The iconic Red Rum colours are seen on a racecourse for the first time since Rummys last race at Haydock in 1978. Trainers wife Beryl McCain has registered the colours which are sported by Hotplate in the Becher Chase. The horse unseats at Valentines second time.

 

1995* - The meeting is extended to two days but with good to firm going the races attract very small fields. Day one sees only twenty five runners compete in the six races and the John Parrett Chase attracts only three, one of whom, the favourite Clay County, falls at the fourth fence. The 9-1 outsider of three Pats Minstrel beats De Jordaan and a young Richard Johnson having his first ride over the National obstacles. Pats Minstrel victory is the highlight of National winning jockey Bob Champions brief training career. Young Hustler is a very popular winner of the Becher Chase, finally completing the National course at the third time of asking.

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1996* - Autumn and early winter meetings in the mid-nineties were plagued with small fields with much debate in the racing press over uncompetitive cards. With the abolition of jumping at Nottingham and Windsor and with Lingfield and Wolverhampton drastically reducing their programmes (and the failure of all weather jumping) there were many that were left wondering if we were seeing the beginning of the end. The John Parrett Chase which clearly had not worked over the National course is switched to the Mildmay course (it still only attracts four runners). Becher Chase day suffers a particularly poor turnout with just eight lining up in the feature and only twenty seven in total for the Saturdays sport. In an eventful race Into the Red becomes the first dual winner.

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1997* - Field sizes are up slightly and we see eleven go to post for the Becher Chase which only has one faller, the fancied Sounds Strong at the first fence. The Sefton Chase, an amateur event over the National fences is run for the first and only time. A pretty dire event its passing is scarcely noticed.

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1998* - The Becher meeting as a two day event had been a failure. Of the thirty six races run at the meeting in this format there had been eight three runner events and one match. Only four races had managed to attract a double figure field. The meeting is reduced to just one day. Following three fatalities in the National and criticism about the state of the ground in particular the inside of the National course is dolled off to save ground for the National meeting. The narrowing of the course however makes the fences look very big and four of the eight runners in the Becher Chase crash out. Earth Summit beats a substandard field to become the first Grand National winner to lift both races in the same year.

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1999* - The meeting is run on a Sunday, the first ever Sunday meeting to be run at Aintree. To fit in with the BBC the valuable Children In Need Handicap Hurdle is run as the last event on the card. Veteran Feels Like Gold is a very easy winner of the Becher Chase.

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2000 - Miserable conditions hit the meeting for the first time since that inaugural renewal. Eleven line up in the Becher and there is considerable early grief with four departing by fence three including the previous years hero Feels Like Gold. The ever-popular Young Kenny who had been a surprise faller in the National puts up a faultless display of jumping to win for Russ Garritty and provides owner Trevor Hemmings with his first victory over the course. Sadly this proves to be Young Kenny`s swansong as he breaks his leg on the flat at Haydock the following February.

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2001 - The late Young Kenny is depicted on the cover of the racecard clearing Bechers in style during his 2000 victory and from this year onwards (with the odd exception) the current Becher Chase champion is depicted on the racecard cover. Ginger McCain enjoys his first Aintree victory since Red Rums third National twenty four years ago when Amberleigh House lifts the Becher Chase. 

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2002 - Having seen the meeting struggle to attract runners in the nineties it was refreshing to see that for the second year running all seven races attract double figure fields. One hundred and two runners line up and this remains a record for the meeting. National winner Bindaree is a surprise early faller in the Becher Chase won by Aintree stalwart Ardent Scout who ran in five consecutive Becher Chases filling all four places.

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2003* - The meeting is once again extended to two days with the first day featuring a new Anglo/Irish Jockeys challenge sponsored by Betfair. In my humble opinion racing is not a team sport and the sight of jockeys sporting red and green breaches to signify which team they were in was to put it bluntly stupid. I am not sure that anyone at Aintree actually cared which team won. What is of far more interest is the resurrection after forty years of one of Aintrees lost chases, the Grand Sefton to be run over the Topham distance. It is won by the J P McManus owned Dark Room in a race where none of the horses fell or unseated their rider (only the fourth time this has happened since the war). Unfortunately for Aintree the day coincides with Englands victory in the Rugby World Cup Final and whilst Aintree have broadcast the match on giant screens before racing the attendance is by far the smallest seen for many years. Day two is run in bright sunshine which, as the sun sets lower during the afternoon, causes the Chair to be bypassed for safety reasons in the Becher Chase. In a race of considerable grief the crowd are entertained to the most exciting and one of the closest finishes ever seen in a race over the National fences. Clan Royal (giving J P McManus, trainer Jonjo O`Neill and jockey Liam Cooper a big race double) just holds off Aintree perennial Amberleigh House. Only four of the fifteen that started out finish. Incidentally the first race of the meeting features an unraced horse called Inglis Dreaver "interesting recruit to the jumping ranks" says the race card of the future three times World Hurdle champion - they were not wrong !

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2004 - The second Betfair Challenge is a bit of a flop as three of the four races only attract fields of four, five and six respectively. It is not repeated. The Grand Sefton has a healthier field and we are entertained to a brilliant performance by Forest Gunner making it two wins from two starts over the National fences (adding to his Foxhunters triumph in April). Silver Birch wins the Becher Chase ridden by Ruby Walsh making a rare appearance at the meeting. He follows this with victory in the Welsh National and becomes ante-post favourite for the National itself before injury ruled him out. Never mind though he got another chance a few year later.

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2005 - The meeting reverts to it's one day format and is run on a Sunday as day two of the rather pointlessly named "North West Masters Series" with top billing going to the new Betfair Chase to be run at Haydock Park on the Saturday. Irish trained outsider Garvivonian is a surprise 33-1 winner, what is also more surprising is that not only is he the first Irish trained winner of the Becher Chase but the first Irish trained winner at the Becher meeting. The race is marred by a number of early falls, four at the first, one at the second and dual course winner Forest Gunner gets rid of Nina Carberry at the third. The race marks the last racecourse appearance of 2002 National hero Bindaree who finally completes the Becher Chase course at his third attempt.

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2006 - Following the carnage of the previous year the Becher Chase start is moved and now starts after Valentines with the number of fences to be jumped reduced to twenty one. A record field of twenty one is immediately reduced by two fallers at the new first fence including Aintree regular Clan Royal, a surprise casualty. The fragile and lightly raced Eurotrek gives journeyman jockey Liam Head the highlight of his career although they almost throw it away when they appear to run out at the Elbow. Fortunately a number of staff frantically waving alerts Heard just in time to enable him to alter his path and he just holds on.

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2007 - Another set of big fields in all but the novice chase over the Mildmay course which bizarrely attracts just two runners ! Lots of thrills and spills over the National fences with no less than twenty one horses losing their riders (fortunately there are no serious injuries to horses or jockeys). Mr Pointment wins the big one for Paul Nicholls and Sam Thomas who is deputising for the injured Ruby Walsh. Future National winner Balabriggs appears in the concluding novice hurdle. It is a good day for the bookies with two 66-1 winners on the day.

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2008 - A wet day with conditions turning very testing during the afternoon. The Becher Chase is run on heavy going. Due to the conditions both the Grand Sefton and Becher Chases suffer a number of last minute withdrawals with three being taken out of each contest. Both races are turned into processions. Endless Power makes all in Crisp like fashion in the Grand Sefton but unlike Crisp he wins. Twenty five lengths ahead at the last he only just holds on by two and a half lengths. Glasgow based Jim Goldie trains his second consecutive winner of the race. The Irish trained Black Apalachi makes all to win the Becher by a staggering seventy two lengths from an exhausted Mr Pointment who actually slows to walk in the closing stages before just managing to raise enough to repel third placed Oulart on the line

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2009 - Smaller fields over the big fences this year, just eleven in the Sefton and only eight in the Becher (two of those depart at the second fence). Vic Venturi provides trainer Dessie Hughes with a second consecutive winner. Despite the race being run in late November Aintree has a very Christmassy feel to it with Father Christmas taking up residence in the old weighing room and several Festive stalls dotted around the racecourse

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2010 - A tale of two races over the National fences this year. A relatively benign Grand Sefton with ten of the sixteen runners completing the course and an eventful Becher with ten of the seventeen strong field either falling or unseating. Young Irish jockey Patrick Mangan making his Aintree debut takes a very heavy fall on Whatuthink at the first fence which is bypassed on the second circuit. Apart from the fences in the home straight this is the first time that a fence 'out in the country' is bypassed which is something that could not have occurred before the run off areas were introduced after the 2008 National. Hello Bud at twelve years young is a popular winner for the Twiston-Davies team. Frankie Figg lands the Grand Sefton, a case of third time lucky over the big fences and provides owners Graham & Andrew Wylie with their first (and only) victory over the National course.

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2011* - In a break with tradition the meeting is moved to the first Saturday in December and now faces a direct clash with the Tingle Creek Chase meeting at Sandown. Despite this there is still a competitive card and the meeting does not appear to have suffered as a result. The BBC who are losing interest in racing do not bother to broadcast the meeting so for the first time Channel 4 takes over showing the two races over the National fences. The Grand Sefton is moved to the last race on the card. Probably the most interesting "last race" in the calendar where it will remain for another nine years.

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2012 - Following criticism over the number of fatalities in the last two Nationals Aintree trials four newly designed fences for the meeting. Whilst maintaining the same height and appearance as before the central core frame (wooden stakes) is replaced with a more forgiving birch and plastic material. The fences are judged a success and by the 2013 National meeting all the fences have been replaced with this new core. The Becher Chase itself is a classic with a blanket finish with the first five covered by less than two lengths. Fourteen year old Hello Bud becomes the oldest winner over the National fences with Aintree perennials Swing Bill and Big Fella Thanks close behind. It is a day to remember for the Twiston-Davies clan as they win the Grand Sefton as well with Little Josh and enjoy a treble on the day.

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2013 - Twenty two horses line up for the Becher Chase and proof that the new style fences are a success sixteen of the runners survive. It is a similar story in the Grand Sefton with ten of the sixteen completing the course.

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2014 - Aintree opens its doors to the local community and, with a free days racing offered, are rewarded with a bumper crowd. There is another large field for the Becher Chase and only three horses lose their riders. How galling therefore for there to be a fatality, the Irish trained Ballybriggen who breaks down on the flat. Oscar Time at thirteen becomes another "oldie" to win the main event. His amateur jockey Sam Waley Cohen now has won three Foxhunters, a Topham and now a Becher Chase - the most successful rider currently riding.

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2015 - Highland Lodge who has been in the care of his new trainer James Moffatt for less than two months wins an exciting Becher Chase which sees another blanket finish with less than six lengths covering the first six home. Former Grand National hero Pineau de Re is a surprise early faller at the second fence. 

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2016 - Amberleigh House, looking an absolute picture parades before racing. The highlight for many is the return of the popular 2015 National winner Many Clouds who is making his seasonal debut. Running in a listed steeplechase over the Mildmay course he records an impressive victory. There is another large field in the Becher Chase which sees more grief than in recent years. There are some surprises amongst the early casualties, Saint Are a former National runner up crashes out at the very first fence and former fourth Alvarado comes down at the second. It is yet another blanket finish for the Becher, Highland Lodge so nearly makes it two wins in a row but this year he is caught near the line and goes down by the shortest of short heads to another Aintree perennial Vieux Lion Rouge.

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2017 - It is a  miserable day with heavy conditions with both water and ice on the course. Nigel Twiston-Davies wins his sixth Becher Chase with the shortest priced favourite in the history of the race, Blaklion who had run such a blinder in the National. It is a race of little incident with just one fence claiming any casualties. 

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2018* -  Blaklion who was brought down at the first fence in the National runs no race at all and finishes unplaced behind Walk in the Mill who collars long time leader Call It Magic in the closing stages. Aintree perennials Ultragold and Vieux Lion Rouge fill the minor places. Falls are few and far between with just one coming to grief in the Grand Sefton. The most exiting race on the day is arguably the opening novice hurdle where the favourite is knocked out at the first flight by the second favourite who tries to refuse. With two loose horses carrying out the clear leader with a circuit to go a 40-1 shot West of the Bridge is left to romp home. All good stuff -  especially when you are on the 40-1 shot.

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2019 - Walk in the Mill becomes the third dual winner of the Becher Chase and once again there is just one faller in the Grand Sefton. The most interesting race on the card though is the Many Clouds Chase which sees the 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River renew rivalry with runner up Might Bite. It becomes a bit of a non-event with Might Bite unseating early on but Native River records a facile victory. Sadly due to the Coronovirus crisis the curtain is brought down on the 2019-20 season and there is no National meeting. 

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2020 - With the Covid - 19 Pandemic causing the abandonment of the Grand National meeting the Becher meeting provides the first races over the National course for a year. It also provides the only time during the season that crowds are permitted to attend. Under the short lived "Tier system" with Liverpool being in lowest tier at the time a small crowd of race-starved racegoers are allowed to attend. Those privaleged few enjoyed a classic Becher Chase. A slightly smaller field of fourteen line up and there were a number of thrills and spills with six departing before Bechers including the hat-trick seeking Walk in the Mill who was never travelling well when he took a crashing fall at the Chair. Vieux Lion Rouge running in his fifth Becher Chase rolled back the years and easily wins by an incredible twenty four lengths some four years after his first victory. 

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2021 - After the bizarre sight of a Grand National run behind closed doors (although no crowds is better than no National) normal service resumed (although it was a miserable weather - wet, windy and very cold. The Becher Chase runners came home in possibly the worst conditions ever seen for the race). Since 2005 the Becher meeting was the only day where two races were run over the National fences but this year saw the Grand Sefton moved to the November meeting. The Grand Sefton had always been a bit of a let down after the Becher Chase so I anticipate that this will improve the quality of the field and give horses the opportuinty of completing a Grand Sefton/Becher Chase double. The first winner of the new Grand Sefton MacTottie tried but unfortunately only got as far as the Chair. The rather lovely grey Snow Leopardess (a mare I knew nothing about) made a splendid sight taking the lead at the Chair, emerging from the gloom and just holding on by the shortest of distances over the very fast finishing Hill Sixteen. Aintree regular Vieux Lion Rouge bade farewell after being knocked out at the fence before Bechers but he had jumped enough National fences succesfully to overtake Amberleigh House's total of fences jumped and become the ultimate Aintree specialist.

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2022 - Another year when the highlight of the day was a race over the Mildmay fences with Grand National winner Noble Yeats laying down his Gold Cup credentials with victory in the Many Clouds Chase. In the Becher a big field of twenty two line up and an incredible seventeen finish. Harry Skelton wins on Aintree debutant Ashtown Lad and celebrates in exhuberant stye - the 'Airplane' celebration as he passes the winning post 'look...no hands'. 

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2023 - It is unfortunate that what has become a very interesting Grade Two event over the Mildmay Course the Many Clouds Chase had been abolished. In its place is a very uncompetitive beginners chase which attracts just four runners. The Becher Chase attracts a smaller than usual field and is run on attritional ground meaning that only five of the twelve runners complete the course. The fences do not cause too much problems with three unseatsall at ditches. Chambard and Lucy Turner are emphatic winners at a big price.