Sefton second Gesskille chasing Becher compensation

Aintree again the target for Greenall and Guerriero runner.

Gesskille will look to secure a significant prize for connections in the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

The French-bred six-year-old was last seen contesting the Sefton at the same track earlier this month, missing out by a nose as Sam Thomas’ Al Dancer just prevailed on the line.

That was a third British outing for the gelding, who was previously campaigned by Francois Nicolle in France and returned there in the summer to contest two chases for his new trainers, Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.

Second at Auteuil in May, he then won the Listed Prix X De Chevigny at the same course the following month before returning home for a break ahead of the domestic National Hunt season.

With the Sefton run providing a good first experience of the National fences, Gesskille is now preparing to step up in trip for the three-and-a-quarter-mile Becher.

“He seemed to take to the fences well in the Grand Sefton and Henry Brooke gave him a lovely ride,” said Greenall.

“His saddle slipped at the Canal Turn and he couldn’t quite ride him as effectively as he wanted to, but he still ran well and I was delighted.

“As he ran in cross-country races in France, I was fairly confident he would take to the fences, though you are never quite sure.

“He has won over three miles before but he has never run over this sort of trip in the past, so it is a bit of an unknown if he will get it, but he seems to relax in his races so I’m pretty confident he will get it.

“Henry felt he was in top gear in the Sefton, which was over two-miles-five, and he felt that the longer distance would help bring a little bit more improvement while the softer ground should suit.”

Aintree has a particular significance to Greenall as his father, Lord Daresbury, was chairman of the racecourse from 1989 to 2015.

“Although I now live an hour away from the course, growing up Aintree was my local track so it has always been a special racecourse to me,” he said.

“My dad, Peter, was chairman there for 25 years so we used to live around 15 to 20 minutes away.

“I went there almost every meeting and I still know a lot of people in the area that we used to live in, so it would be very special if we could win one over the Grand National fences.

“It is also mine and Josh’s first season on the licence together, so it would be nice to a get a big race like the Becher on the board this early on.”

Gesskille is one of 25 entries for the Becher, with last year’s first and second, Snow Leopardess and Hill Sixteen, in contention again along with the likes of Top Ville Ben, Ashtown Lad and Captain Kangaroo.

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