Let’s take a stroll—figuratively, unless you’re the sort who likes to jog while reading—through one of British horse racing’s most characterful, mud-splattered, and occasionally downright bonkers spectacles: the Becher Chase.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix the Grand National’s famous fences, a bunch of seasoned chasers, and the kind of Merseyside winter weather that would make a duck think twice, you’re in the right place.
The Becher Chase: A Grand National Warm-Up (With Its Own Swagger)
First off, let’s clear the air: the Becher Chase is not the Grand National. But it’s run over the same iconic Aintree fences—yes, those ones, like Becher’s Brook and the Canal Turn, that have chewed up and spat out more than a few racing dreams.
If the Grand National is the main event, the Becher is the dress rehearsal where the actors are just as dramatic, but the audience is a bit more in-the-know. It’s a Premier Handicap steeplechase, open to horses aged six and up, and run over a distance of about 3 miles and 2 furlongs (that’s 3 miles, 1 furlong, and 188 yards, or 5,201 metres for the metric-minded).
The Becher Chase takes place in late November or early December, which means the going is usually somewhere between “soft” and “bring your flippers.” It’s a handicap, so every horse carries a different weight, aimed at leveling the playing field—though, as anyone who’s ever tried to run in wellies will tell you, mud has a mind of its own.
A Race Named for a Man Who… Fell In
Now, about that name. Martin Becher was a 19th-century soldier and jockey who, in the inaugural Grand National, managed to fall off at the very first brook, climb back on (soaked to his socks), and then fall off again at the next one. Not exactly the stuff of legend—unless you’re British, in which case we love a trier. Becher’s Brook, the most notorious fence on the course, is named after him, and so is this race. There’s something charmingly British about naming a race after a bloke whose main achievement was getting wetter than a teabag.
The Fences: Where Legends (and Lawn Darts) Are Made
The Becher Chase is run over 21 of the Grand National’s fences, including Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn, and Valentine’s. These aren’t your average garden-variety jumps. They’re big, they’re intimidating, and they have a habit of sorting out the brave from the merely optimistic. Horses who do well here are often eyed up for the Grand National itself—though, fun fact, no horse has ever won both races in the same season. It’s a bit like auditioning for Hamlet and ending up as the understudy for the gravedigger, but still, it’s a pretty good gig.
The Prize: Not Just Pocket Change
The Becher Chase isn’t just a warm-up act. With a purse of £150,000 in recent years (and over £84,000 to the winner in 2023), it’s a serious payday for connections. That’s enough to buy a lot of carrots, or at least a new pair of waterproofs for the next time you fall in a brook.
Who Wins? Age, Experience, and the Odd Veteran
The race is open to horses aged six and older, but, as of 2022, no six-year-old has managed to win it. Most winners are between seven and ten, with nine-year-olds having the best record—though every now and then, a seasoned campaigner rolls back the years. The oldest winner? Hello Bud, who was 14 when he won in 2012, presumably powered by pure stubbornness and a dislike of retirement.
The Roll of Honour: Familiar Faces and Serial Jumpers
Some horses just love the place. Into The Red, Hello Bud, Walk In The Mill, and Vieux Lion Rouge have all won the race twice, with Walk In The Mill the only horse to do it back-to-back in 2018 and 201914. If you’re a fan of equine endurance, Vieux Lion Rouge has jumped over 223 Grand National fences in nine races—more than any other horse still in training as of 2025. That’s a lot of air miles, even if most of them are measured in mud and adrenaline.
Nigel Twiston-Davies is the trainer with the magic touch, sending out six winners since the race began in 1992. If you see his name in the racecard, it’s worth a second look—though, as with any handicap, nothing is ever certain except the mud.
Notable Winners and Their Stories
Amberleigh House won the Becher in 2001 and then the Grand National in 2004, showing that experience over these fences really does count—even if it takes a few years to cash in.
Silver Birch took the Becher in 2004 and the Grand National in 2007, proving that patience is a virtue, and so is a good memory for where the big drops are.
Earth Summit did things the other way round: Grand National winner in April 1998, Becher winner later that year. Some horses just can’t get enough of Aintree’s unique brand of chaos.
The Race Day Experience: Mud, Roars, and the Odd Duck
Becher Chase Day at Aintree is a highlight of the winter racing calendar, drawing a crowd of racing diehards, hopeful punters, and the odd soul who just likes a good hat. The atmosphere is buzzing, the racing is top-class, and the fences are as daunting as ever. If you’re lucky enough to go, bring layers, a sense of humour, and maybe a flask of something warming. You’ll need all three.
Trends, Stats, and a Few Surprises
Favourites have a decent record, with five winning market leaders in the last 22 runnings, and three since 2017. But this is a race where anything can happen—especially if the weather turns, which, spoiler alert, it usually does.
The fastest Becher Chase? That honour goes to Eurotrek in 2006, who zipped round in 6:46.60. The slowest? Silver Birch in 2004, taking a leisurely 7:35.50—proving that sometimes, slow and steady really does win the race (or at least, survives the fences).
The Becher Chase is a tough nut to crack for punters and horses alike. In the last 20 years, only three winners have followed up with a win next time out, so don’t go betting the farm on a repeat performance.
The Becher in the Grand National Picture
While the Becher Chase is often billed as a trial for the Grand National, it’s more of a testing ground than a crystal ball. Winning the Becher doesn’t guarantee Grand National glory—though it does mean your horse has the bottle to tackle the course, and your trainer probably knows where the best pubs in Liverpool are.
Final Thoughts: Why the Becher Chase Matters
The Becher Chase is a race for the bold, the brave, and the occasionally bonkers. It’s a celebration of everything that makes jump racing great: drama, unpredictability, and a sense of history that stretches back to a man who fell in a brook and got a race named after him. Whether you’re a seasoned punter, a racing newbie, or just someone who likes a good story, the Becher Chase delivers—year after year, fence after fence, mud pie after mud pie.
So next time you see the runners lining up at Aintree in December, spare a thought for Martin Becher, the horses who take on those mighty fences, and the trainers and jockeys who wouldn’t have it any other way. And if you’re ever tempted to try jumping Becher’s Brook yourself—maybe stick to the grandstand. Trust me, it’s drier up there.
