Greenall and Guerriero mount dual challenge on Becher crown

Gaboriot and White Rhino give the burgeoning training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero a strong hand in the William Hill Half A Mill Becher Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

Gaboriot unseated his rider on his first attempt at the Grand National fences in the 2024 Foxhunters’ Chase but has since shown his liking for the track by finishing third and second in successive renewals of the Grand Sefton, most recently chasing home Colonel Harry on what was his first appearance since February.

Guerriero believes the nine-year-old will strip fitter for that run and also feels the step up from two miles and five furlongs to three and a quarter miles will see him in a better light.

“He seems in very good form and it looks like he’s improved for the run at home, which is nice,” he said.

“It’s a competitive race obviously, but stepping up in trip should help him and he loves the track.”

While Gaboriot is a seasoned campaigned with 26 runs over fences under his belt, his stablemate White Rhino has competed just five times over the larger obstacles, winning twice.

He was hampered by a faller at The Chair during the early stages of the Grand Sefton four weeks ago, but completed the course to finish ninth, and Guerriero is hoping for an improved performance this weekend.

He added: “He just lost his confidence early on last time and we’re hoping the way Sean (Bowen) rode him will have just got his confidence up – hopefully he enjoyed himself as he didn’t have a hard race.

“He got hampered early on, which didn’t help, and started ballooning his fences a bit, which you can’t do around there. We’ll try to ride him a bit handier this time and hopefully, if he doesn’t spend as much time in the air, he should keep on their coattails a bit better.

“If he gets back to where he was this time last year, he’ll go very well.”

The weights are headed by Sara Bradstock’s Mr Vango, who tackles the Grand National fences for the first time having been off the track since winning the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in March.

“His preparation is always very difficult at this time of the year as he hates the all-weather and it’s only recently that we’ve got him on the grass, but he’s in good nick. He’s been to Ffos Las for a gallop and is hopefully in good shape,” said Bradstock.

“He’ll always improve for a run, but at the same time he has won first time out two years out of three.

“The thing that would get him beat is it’s only three and a quarter miles on not heavy ground, but it depends what he makes of the fences really.

“It isn’t too big a field, which is quite nice. If it was heavy ground and four runners, that would have been perfect!”

Other contenders include Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux, Gavin Cromwell’s Irish raider Bioluminescence and the Warren Greatrex-trained Bill Baxter, who won the 2023 Topham Chase over the National fences and blew away any cobwebs by finishing second to Haiti Couleurs over hurdles at Newbury last month.

Bioluminescence carries the colours of JP McManus and his racing manager, Frank Berry, said: “She’s a grand mare and has done really well. She has plenty of weight (11st 9lb), but Gavin seems to think she’s in good form and if the ground is nice there we would be hoping she can run well.

“Hopefully the experience round there will do her good and if it works out we can come back in the spring for the National, that would be lovely.”

Reflecting on Bill Baxter’s comeback run, Greatrex said: “We were just looking for a race before the Becher as he always needs his first run, but this has always been the plan.

“He has a nice weight on Saturday (11st 1lb) and he has got previous winning form around the course. I’m just really excited to be taking him there now – I can’t wait really.”