Staying chaser Threeunderthrufive is set to tackle the Grand National Fences at Aintree for the first time in his career when he lines up in the Becher Handicap Chase. It will be his second start of the season, as he finished second in the Grade Three Badger Beer Handicap Chase on his reappearance.
Paul Nicholls’ runner won four races over fences in his novice campaign. Although he did not score last season, he finished in the places in some big handicap chases, including the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
Nicholls’ Chaser Tops Betting for Aintree Feature
Threeunderthrufive is the +700 favorite in the horse racing odds for the 2023 Becher Handicap Chase. Nicholls will be hoping his horse handles the bigger obstacles on his first outing around the Grand National Course at the Merseyside venue.
Congratulations to @PFNicholls and team on the record breaking 172nd win in a season with Threeunderthrufive #PerthFestival pic.twitter.com/Z0f5gpSDSJ
— perthracecourse (@PerthRacecourse) April 21, 2021
The Ditcheat runner is likely to be one of the leading racing tips for the prestigious chase, as he has shown over the last couple of years that stamina will not be a problem for him at Aintree. He won three times over the distance of 3m as a novice, with victories coming in the December Novices’ Chase and Hampton Novices’ Chase, two races at Grade Two level.
Nicholls campaigned his nine-year-old chaser in some big races last season. He finished eighth in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, while a month later, he traveled up to Ayr, finishing fourth of 28 runners in the Scottish Grand National. The latter was over the distance of 4m, and he relished the stamina test.
Champion Trainers Knows All About Success Over Grand National Fences
If Threeunderthrufive does win this year’s Becher Handicap Chase, it will be a fourth success in the race for Nicholls. The Champion Trainer prevailed in 2004 with Silver Birch, Eurotrek gave him a second triumph two years later, while in 2007, Mr Pointment landed his hat-trick.
Nicholls also had one of the best days in his career at Aintree in 2012 when Neptune Collonges won the Grand National for him. The grey horse was called the winner after a photo finish, ending the trainer’s wait for a maiden success in the race.
If Threeunderthrufive does shine at Aintree in Becher Handicap Chase, he could be back at the same course in April for the world’s most famous steeplechase where he’d be taking on the defending champion Corach Rambler.
Make Me A Believer and Fantastic Lady Lead the Challenge Against Threeunderthrufive
In what is set to be a competitive field at Aintree, recent Exeter winner Make Me A Believer is one of the horses scheduled to take on Threeunderthrufive. David Pipe’s runner won a handicap chase over 3m in Devon on his first start of the campaign. The handicapper has put him up 7lb in the weights for that victory.
🟦🟨 Bill Baxter leads them home in the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 14, 2023
He's on a roll!#ITVRacing | #GrandNational@samtwiston | @wgreatrexracing pic.twitter.com/tgIEzRMZvH
Nicky Henderson is a trainer often represented in the biggest races of the season in the UK, and he will saddle Fantastic Lady. The eight-year-old mare has featured three times over the Grand National fences, with her best result coming in the Topham back in April when she was second behind Bill Baxter.
A maximum field of 30 runners will feature in the 2023 Becher Handicap Chase and it will be the 32nd running in the history of the Aintree contest.
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