'The gap in this thinking is obvious' - Keith Melrose explodes a Becher Chase myth

Recent Troytown winner Coko Beach is giving more weight to his rivals in the Boylesports Becher Chase than Ahoy Senor did in last week's Coral Gold Cup. There has been little talk of the weight-carrying feat in prospect this week. That is partly because it might not have been expected that Coko Beach would turn up.

Gordon Elliott has been known to enter horses in Britain to get a look at their BHA mark before deciding on any later targets. It looks like on this occasion he is also using the Becher Chase in a more time-worn sense: to gain experience over the National fences.

The question is often asked how much of a Grand National trial the Becher provides. There are opposing forces at play. Becher winners will go up in the weights and that penalty can cancel out the benefit of a look at the spruce fences.