Highland Lodge wins Becher Chase Highland Lodge won on his first start for trainer James Moffatt when winning a terrific race for the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree. There were eight horses still in with a chance at the second-last fence, but it was Highland Lodge (20-1), prominent for most of the three-and-a-quarter-mile test, who landed the spoils. The nine-year-old, bought by Moffatt for £22,000 at the Doncaster Sales out of Emma Lavelle's stable last month, relished the unique Grand National fences to repay the faith of his new connections. Ridden by Henry Brooke, h e triumphed by two and a quarter lengths from Dare To Endeavour, with Dolatulo three-quarters of a length away third. Soll was fourth. Saint Are, Highland Lodge and Dare To Endeavour made the running, with Financial Climate and Dolatulo soon close to the pace. Pineau De Re, winner of the Grand National in 2014, was an early casualty, falling at the second fence, while No Planning unseated his rider at the Chair, the sixth of 22 fences. Algernon Pazam, the 7-1 favourite, exited at the 14th, while Portrait King came down two out. Brooke said: "That was unreal, those fences are some buzz. "Jimmy has done all the hard work, my job was just to keep hold of his head. He did all the jumping himself. "I thought I had a right chance - 10st on ground like that suited him down to the ground. Two out I thought 'God, he's got some engine on him'." Moffatt said: "He's a lovely big horse and we probably got him at the right time. Emma was very kind and said that a change of scenery might be what he needed. "When he started working at home I was initially disappointed but in the last 10 days he's started to come good. "Chief Dan George won a Grade One here for me and I was beginning to wonder when another big race would come along. "We'll have to start thinking about the big race in April, but he's going to need to go up a fair bit to get in. But if he jumps like that he'd have to run well in it. Soft ground helped him, but he was fourth in a Hennessy on good ground. "This is right up there with Chief Dan George winning at the Cheltenham Festival." Highland Lodge was given a quote of 50-1 for the Crabbie's Grand National with Betfred.
