Vic set for Becher venture

Vic Venturi will attempt to give Dessie Hughes back-to-back victories in the totesport.com Becher Chase at Aintree on Sunday.

The Kildare-based handler saddled Black Apalachi to run out a facile winner of this staying handicap over the Grand National fences last November and he feels Vic Venturi, a winner at Clonmel on his return last month, should be suited by such a test, as do the sponsors who make him favourite at 7-1.

"I think we will run him in the Becher on Sunday. I think he's a National-type of horse so there's no harm in giving him a go round the track," said Hughes.

A total of 24 horses have been entered for the three-and-a-quarter-mile race and they include the 2007 Grand National hero Silver Birch. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding was in action on Friday when sixth to Garde Champetre in a cross country race at Cheltenham.

Evan Williams has put in State of Play, who was fourth to Mon Mome in this year's National, while others in a fascinating entry include Topham Chase victor Irish Raptor and Scottish National winner Hello Bud, both trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Companero, Idle Talk and Hoo La Baloo.

The latter's owner Andy Stewart would like to see his horse tee up a possible bid for the John Smith's Grand National with a sighter over the daunting birch.

"He has been entered in the Becher and the idea is to give him a run over the big fences with a view to going for the National," said Stewart. "He is rated in the 140s so he should get a run in the National."

Evan Williams is keeping his options open for State of Play and said: "The Becher is an option. We also gave him an entry in the 'Fixed Brush' Handicap Hurdle and he's in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury as well.

"The original plan was to give him a couple of starts over hurdles and then go for the Grand National, but he is so well with himself at the moment that we wanted to give him entries over fences. Chasing is his game but I just wanted to see what the handicapper would do with him over hurdles.

"He jumped so well in the National last season that it would have been silly not to give him the option of the Becher Chase. I had thought that he wouldn't be ready to race until Christmas time but he seems fresh, happy and well so we gave him the entries. He has won on soft ground so it wouldn't be too much of a concern for us."