Buckler & McCain Outline Aintree Plans

The highlight at Aintree on Sunday, November 25, is the £100,000 totesport.com Becher Chase (2.50pm) over the Grand National course.

The three and a quarter mile handicap is a key trial for the John Smith's Grand National and Silver Birch followed up success in the 2004 totesport.com Becher Chase with victory in the world's greatest chase last season.

Amberleigh House gave trainer Ginger McCain a fourth victory in the Grand National in 2004, having triumphed in the totesport.com Becher Chase three years earlier.

Seven horses returned to Aintree in April, 2007, following a run earlier during the season in the totesport.com Becher Chase, with McKelvey finishing sixth in the totepsort.com Becher Chase and a close second behind Silver Birch in the John Smith's Grand National.

Bob Buckler won the totepool Grand Sefton Chase at this meeting last year with I Hear Thunder, and the trainer is looking forward to another big run from his classy nine-year-old in the totesport.com Becher Chase on Sunday.

Buckler said: 'The plan is to run I Hear Thunder in the totesport.com Becher Chase on Sunday. He had some heat in one of his legs after winning the totepool Grand Sefton Chase last year, and we gave him some time off afterwards.

'He had a quiet little run around Aintree in a novice handicap hurdle in October, because he's on a far lower hurdles mark than over fences, and he seems to have come out of it fine.

'He would have got into the John Smith's Grand National last year on his rating, and the plan is to go for the race again this year. He'll have a quiet campaign after the totesport.com Becher Chase because I'm quite keen to nurture his chase handicap mark this year.

'He's a lovely big type of a horse, and everything has gone all right so far, and I hope he'll put in a good performance on Sunday.'

The totesport.com Becher Chase has attracted 28 entries at the six-day stage, including last year's second Bewleys Berry and third Dunbrody Millar, who returned to Aintree in April, winning the John Smith's Topham Chase.

Garvivonnian was successful in this race in 2005, while Royal Auclair, who could represent last year's winning trainer Paul Nicholls, finished second behind Hedgehunter in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National.

Pak Jack finished second over the National fences in the John Smith's Foxhunters' Chase in April, while Kandjar d'Allier, The Outlier, Ballycassidy and Le Duc all return to Aintree having contested last season's John Smith's Grand National.

The £70,000 totepool Grand Sefton Chase (1.40pm) will also be run over the Grand National Course on Sunday, and the two mile, five and a half furlong contest has attracted 33 entries at the six-day stage.

Donald McCain could be represented by progressive seven-year-old Bannister Lane, who has never fallen in 20 starts.

McCain said: 'Bannister Lane is also entered in the totesport.com Becher Chase, but I would prefer to run him in the totepool Grand Sefton Chase if the ground is soft enough. He didn't like the fast ground or going right handed at Ascot on his latest start.

'He's a bit of a character and he has his own way of doing things, but he's a sound jumper and a good galloping horse, and if he takes to Aintree, he could run really well.'

McCain could also run Maurice in the totepool Grand Sefton Chase, although his participation could depend on owner Trevor Hemmings' other possible starters at the Northwest Racing Masters.

McCain explained: 'Maurice is also entered at Haydock on Saturday (Betfair Casino Zero Lounge Handicap Chase at 3.10pm), and Mr Hemmings has several possibilities in the totepool Grand Sefton, so I've got to speak to his racing manager to see where he's going.

'He won some chases over the big fences at Auteuil for his previous connections, so I hope he would enjoy the Grand National course. I was pleased with his run around Aintree in April, and he had a wind operation over the summer, so I was a bit disappointed with his seasonal return at Cheltenham.

'If he progresses from his run at Aintree, then I think we've got a very decent horse, but it just hasn't happened so far this season.'

Among the entries for the totepool Grand Sefton Chase are last year's second Shannon's Pride, third Theatre Knight, and fourth Cassia Heights.

LATEST totesport ODDS FOR THE totesport.com BECHER CHASE

8 BEWLEYS BERRY, 10 DUNBRODY MILLAR, 10 MR POINTMENT, 12 KANDJAR D´ALLIER, 14 A NEW STORY , 14 AKA JAKE, 14 ALRIGHT NOW M´LAD, 14 I HEAR THUNDER, 14 IRISH RAPTOR, 14 KING KILLONE, 14 LE DUC, 14 LEADING MAN, 16 BRIERY FOX, 16 GARVIVONNIAN, 16 PAK JACK, 16 PARKINSON, 16 ROYAL AUCLAIR, 20 BANNISTER LANE, 20 IRON MAN, 20 SILVER JACK, 20 THE OUTLIER, 25 FINZI, 25 LANKAWI, 33 BALLYCASSIDY, 33 TOMMY SPAR, 50 HIGH COTTON, 50 SYBELLIUS D´ARTAIX, 100 BLACK SMOKE

EACH WAY 1/4 THE ODDS A PLACE 1-2-3-4. ALL QUOTED. ANTEPOST RULES APPLY.

SPECIAL BET: 20/1 any horse to win the totesport.com Becher Chase and go on to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National.

AINTREE GOING

The going as at Aintree is currently:

GOOD TO SOFT, GOOD IN PLACES - Grand National Course

GOOD, GOOD TO SOFT IN PLACES - Mildmay Course

The forecast is for generally unsettled conditions this week, although the amount of rain