Peter Bowen is hoping to
extend his fine record over Aintree's Grand National fences when he saddles Mumbles
Head and Ballyvesey in the £110,000 Betfred Becher Handicap Chase
(2.10pm) this Saturday, December 8.
The Pembrokeshire handler
has won four John Smith's Topham Chases including the past three renewals with
Always Waining and saddled McKelvey to finish a close second in the 2007
running of the John Smith's Grand National.
Mumbles Head will be
having his first start over the famous fences when he lines up in the three and
a quarter mile contest on Saturday and comes into the race in good form after
third-place finishes in the Betfred Mobile Sports Veterans' Handicap Chase on
the Mildmay Course at Aintree on October 27, and in the Listed John Smith's
Summer Cup at Uttoxeter in July. The 11-year-old rounded off a hat-trick of
wins in the Perth Gold Cup in June.
Bowen said: "Mumbles
Head will run in Betfred Becher Handicap Chase. He has been in very good form
and I thought it was a good effort up at Aintree last time.
"I don't know if he
will improve for that run as it all depends on how they take to the course but
I think he will be OK as he jumps well and stays well. I don't think the soft ground
will be a problem for him.
"He has had a lot of
problems in the past but think there could be more improvement in him because
he is very lightly raced and doesn't have many miles on the clock.
"The John Smith's
Grand National is the target but obviously we have to see how he performs on
Saturday first."
Ballyvesey has placed in
the past two renewals of the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase, finishing fourth
behind Hello Bud in 2010 and third to West End Rocker in 2011. He
finished second, one place in front of Mumbles Head, in the John Smith's Summer
Cup but will be 15lb wrong at the weights on Saturday providing top-weight Ballabriggs
takes his chance.
Bowen added:
"Ballyvesey will probably run as well. He is in good form and although he
is out of the handicap, he loves the course and has run well out of the
handicap there in the past."
Bowen also reported that
his other entry Gullible Gordon is likely take up his engagement at
Chepstow instead.
Other notable entries for
Betfred Becher Handicap Chase include Paul Nicholls' classy seven-year-old Join
Together and Alfie Sherrin, who won the Grade Three JLT Specialty
Handicap Chase at last season's Cheltenham Festival.
Betfred Becher Handicap
Chase, Betfred Bet: 7 (from 8) West End Rocker, 8 Join Together, 9 Alfie Sherrin,
Ballabriggs, Problema Tic, 10 Planet Of Sound, 12 Any Currency, Big Fella
Thanks, Saint Are, 14 Swing Bill, 16 Fabalu, Hello Bud, Midnight Haze, Mumbles
Head, 20 bar.
1/4 the odds 1-2-3-4
Aintree's seven-race card
on Saturday, December 8, also features the £60,000 Betfred 'Goals Galore' Grand
Sefton Handicap Chase (3.20pm) over two miles, five and a half furlongs. Also
run over the Grand National fences, it has attracted 24 entries including 2011
Grade One Betfred Bowl winner Nacarat, classy performer Calgary Bay and
two former Paddy Power Gold Cup winners in Little Josh and Irish raider Tranquil
Sea
GOING
Following four millimetres
of rain last night,the going at Aintree is now:
National Course - Soft,
Heavy in places
Mildmay Course - Good to
Soft, Soft in places
Hurdle Courses - Soft,
Good to Soft in places
Andrew Tulloch, Aintree's
Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, said today: "We have been dry at
Aintree today and are predicted to stay dry until mid-afternoon tomorrow, when
another band of rain is set to arrive. The current forecast is for between six
and nine millimetres tomorrow.
"It should be drier
on Friday, when there is the chance of a shower, while Saturday is also
predicted to be largely dry.
"I am very happy with
the current condition of the course, it is looking in good shape. Given the
current forecast, I would expect the ground to ease ahead of Saturday."
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