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Goldie Plans Raid on Grand Sefton and Becher Chase
15/11/10

Trainer Jim Goldie is seeking a third victory in the £60,000 totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (12.35pm) at Aintree on Sunday, November 21, when he could also seek a first triumph in the day’s feature contest, the £100,000 Listed totesport.com Becher Chase (1.45pm).

Stormin Exit
© Grossick Racing Photography

Goldie is responsible for three of the 26 entries for the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase over an extended two miles and five furlongs, the first of two races over the Grand National fences on Sunday, with Stormin Exit, last year’s third Craiglands and the 2007 victor Lampion Du Bost. Goldie was also successful in the 2008 totesuper7 Grand Sefton when Endless Power took the spoils.

Craiglands and Lampion Du Bost are also engaged among a high-class entry of 30 for the three and a quarter mile totesport.com Becher Chase, which is headed by the past two winners of the Welsh National, Dream Alliance (2009) and subsequent Grade One victor Notre Pere (2008). Also among the entries are the most recent two Scottish National victors, Merigo (2010) and Hello Bud (2009).

Hello Bud
© racing-images.co.uk

Hello Bud, who finished fifth in the John Smith’s Grand National last season, is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies who could also be represented in the totesport.com Becher Chase by Irish Raptor, successful over the Grand National fences when taking the 2009 John Smith’s Topham Chase. Twiston-Davies, who enjoyed a wonderful weekend at Cheltenham, could aim for a big-race double at the Northwest Masters with totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander set to run in Saturday’s Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.

Goldie is intent on running all three of his charges, although he is yet to determine whether Craiglands and Lampion Du Bost will bid for the totesport.com Becher Chase or the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.

He revealed today: “Stormin Exit is probably my number one contender for the totesuper7 Grand Sefton. We’ve trained him for the race and he is in good order, so hopefully we can get there feeling 100 per cent.

“He won well at Ayr last season on good ground but earlier in his career he wanted a bit of cut. He handles most ground but I would prefer it to stay dry - those fences are not quite as big when it’s good ground. Whatever the ground is like, we’ll be there.

Craiglands
© Grossick Racing Photography

“Craiglands and Lampion Du Bost are in the totesport.com Becher Chase and the totesuper7 Grand Sefton. The two of them are liable to be out of the handicap in both races, so we’ll have a look and go for the race in which they’re not as far wrong at the weights.

“Lampion Du Bost won the Grand Sefton three years ago. He has been off since January, 2008, with an injury but he seems fine again. It is a big ask, whatever happens, but he does like the course.

“Craiglands was third in last year’s Grand Sefton, so I think he will jump around again, but we will look at both races for those two and see what’s happening nearer the time. The plan is for all three to run but we will have a look at the races and make our minds up later.”

Also engaged in the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase are last season’s John Smith’s Topham Chase winner Always Waining from the Peter Bowen yard, the Colin Tizzard-trained Oiseau De Nuit and the Charlie Mann-trained Moon Over Miami.

As well as the Goldie-trained trio, others with entries in both races are the Charlie Swan-trained One Cool Cookie, Gullible Gordon from the Paul Nicholls yard, Fabalu and Mill Side, both trained by Donald McCain, the Milton Harris-trained Magic Sky, the Richard Philips-trained Pak Jak and Whatuthink from the Oliver McKiernan stable.

totesport.com Becher Chase – sponsors bet:
9 Gullible Gordon, Meanus Dandy, 10 Merigo, 11 Notre Pere, 12 Abbeybraney, Fabalu, Hello Bud, 14 Dream Alliance, Faasel, In Compliance, Irish Raptor, Maljimar, Royal Rosa, Tricky Trickster, Whatuthink, 16 Ballyvesey, Mill Side, The Last Derby, 20 Dashing George, Imoncloudnine, Magic Sky, Newman Des Plages, Pak Jack, 25 Craiglands, Lampion du Bost, Midnight Gold, Minster Shadow, One Cool Cookie, 33 Camden George, 50 Au Courant. Each-Way Terms: ¼ 1-2-3-4

totesport spokesman George Primarolo said: “Paul Nicholls has won the Becher Chase three times in the last six years so it’s not surprising to see two of his entries at the head of the market though both will be having their first crack at the big Grand National fences when they line up on Sunday.”

The day’s racing kicks off with the £8,000 toteplacepot Maiden Hurdle (12.05pm) over an extended two miles and also includes the two and a half-mile £20,000 Live Football Betting at totesport.com Handicap Hurdle (1.10pm), which has attracted last season’s top-class novice Restless Harry among a classy 26-strong entry.

The popular fixture also incorporates the £12,000 toteswinger Flexibetting Handicap Chase (2.20pm) over three miles and a furlong, and continues with the £8,000 toteexacta Flexi Betting Handicap Hurdle (2.55pm) over two and a half miles, before concluding with the £3,000 totepool A Better Way To Bet Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (3.30pm) over two miles and a furlong.GOING

The going at Aintree is currently:

Mildmay & Hurdle Course: Good to Soft

Grand National Course: Good to Soft

Andrew Tulloch, Aintree’s Director of Racing and Clerk of the Course, explained: “We are forecast to receive some rain on Wednesday, which could ease conditions on both courses.

“I am pleased with the state of the Grand National course, it is looking in great shape.”