King Turgeon among 17 entries for the Becher Chase at Aintree Racecourse

David Pipe's Aintree scorer King Turgeon is the sponsors 4-1 joint favourite with Gaboriot after 17 entries were revealed for the £135,000 BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase back on Merseyside this Saturday.

The six-year-old grey ran out a fine winner on his first try over the famous Randox Grand National fences in the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree Racecourse last Saturday. Now he is the sponsors' joint market leader to become the first horse to win both races over the big Aintree obstacles in the 3m2f feature this weekend. King Turgeon had won on his seasonal return at Chepstow last month and made a successful debut over the Grand National fences when landing the 2m4f contest. If he returns to Aintree he will be stepping up in trip for the Becher Chase and is a best-priced 9-2 with bet365 and William Hill.

Gabriolot, who can be backed at the best-priced 11-2 with Ladbrokes, finished third to King Turgeon, beaten four-and-a-quarter lengths in the Grand Sefton Chase last month. Trained in Malpas by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the eight-year-old unseated his rider in the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase at the Grand National meeting at Aintree last April. A winner of a similar contest over four miles at Cheltenham in May, he should relish the step up in trip and with that fine effort over the Aintree obstacles could turn the form around with King Turgeon.

Last year's winner Chambard, from the in-form stable of Grand National winner Venetia Williams, is entered again and will be making his first start since finishing eighth in the Ultima Handicap at last season's Cheltenham Festival. He is a 20-1 chance in his bid to become the fifth dual winner of the Becher Chase after Into The Red (1994, 1996), Hello Bud (2010, 2012), Walk In The Mill (2018, 2019) and Vieux Lion Rouge (2016, 2020).

There are two Irish-trained entries left in with with Gordon Elliott's Coko Beach, who was runner-up in last season's Becher Chase and also 11th in the National itself, a 14-1 chance with BetVictor to become only the third winner from the Emerald Isle and a first since Dessie Hughes' Black Apalachi in 2009. He will carry second top weight of 11st12lb. The other entry from the Emerald Isle is Now Where Or When, trained in Northern Ireland by Stuart Crawford. The nine-year-old was ninth over the Mildmay fences at last April's Grand National meeting and has only ever won twice in 15 chase starts.

Kim Bailey's Chianto Classico is the current top weight at 12st and is vying for favouritism at a best-priced 6-1 with BetVictor. The seven-year-old was an impressive winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March before finishing fourth behind Inothewayurthinkin stepped up to Grade One company in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree the following month. Chianti Classico returned to action with victory in the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase over three miles at Ascot last month.

Others entries include three who will sport the colours of the late triple Grand National-winning owner Trevor Hemmings in the Jonjo and AJ O'Neill-trained Iron Bridge, who was third in the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park in February and eighth in last season's Scottish Grand National; Alan King's Major Dundee, who was third in the 2022 Scottish Grand National; and Richmond Lake, from the Cheshire stable of Merseyside-born Grand National winner Donald McCain. Richmond Lake was fourth behind King Turgeon in the Grand Sefton last month and is a best-priced 20-1 with William Hill, while Iron Bridge is 10-1 with bet365 and Major Dundee 25-1 with the same firm.

The seven-race card on BoyleSports Becher Chase day sees the action start at Aintree at 11.47am with the opening contest, the BoyleSports Daily Money Back Meetings Novices' Hurdle. The finale, the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle, is due off at 3.17pm. Gates open at 10.15am and tickets are priced from £25 for adults, if booked in advance and £35 on the gate. For more information and to buy tickets go online at https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/events-tickets/becher-chase/

Entries for the £135,000 BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Grand National Course) 3m1f188y, 2,07pm, Aintree Racecourse, Saturday, December 7

Name (bred), age, owner, trainer

Coko Beach (FR) 9-12-0 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott (Ireland)
Chianti Classico (IRE) 7-11-12 Sir Francis Brooke & R A Pilkington Kim Bailey Tom Bellamy
Fantastic Lady (FR) 9-11-4 Mr ER Hanbury Nicky Henderson
Celebre d'Allen (FR) 12-11-2 Mr Allan Stennett Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
Chambard (FR) 12-11-0 David & Carol Shaw Venetia Williams
Richmond Lake (IRE) 8-10-11 Hemmings Racing Donald McCain
Arizona Cardinal 8-10-11 Oakman Racing Club Stuart Edmunds Charlie Hammond
Cruz Control (FR) 7-10-9 Mr F Green and Mr J Chinn Tom Lacey
Iron Bridge (IRE) 8-10-5 Hemmings Racing Jonjo & AJ O'Neill
King Turgeon (FR) 6-10-2 Somerset Racing David Pipe Jack Tudor
Monte Igueldo (FR) 7-10-1 S Beetham and DPL Fab Ltd Gary Hanmer
Regal Blue (IRE) 7-10-0 Martin Tedham & Wasdell Properties Ltd. Jonjo & AJ O'Neill
Major Dundee (IRE) 9-9-13 Hemmings Racing Alan King
Now Where Or When (IRE) 9-9-12 Mrs Margaret McCrudden Stuart Crawford (Northern Ireland)
Gaboriot (FR) 8-9-11 Mr GC Myddelton Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
Your Own Story (IRE) 8-9-11 Mrs J Kehoe, Wymer & Russell Lucinda Russell
Percussion 9-9-8 Mr ER Hanbury Laura Morgan

17 confirmations (2 Irish-trained)

BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase, BoyleSports odds (each-way terms 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4): 4-1 Gaboriot, King Turgeon, 11-2 Chianti Classico, 8-1 Iron Bridge, 10-1 Cruz Control, 12-1 Coko Beach, 14-1 Arizona Cardinal, Fantastic Lady, 16-1 Celebre d’Allen, Regal Blue, Richmond Lake, 20-1 Chambard, Major Dundee, Percussion, 25-1 Your Own Story, Monte Igueldo, 40-1 Now Where Or When