THE most popular victory of the weekend was almost certainly that of Vieux Lion Rouge (David Pipe/Conor O’Farrell) in the Grade 3 Becher Chase.

The 11-year-old could finish only fifth behind Minella Celebration on the Mildmay Course on his return to action, but he has a remarkable record of completing on every one of his nine visits to the Grand National course.

Although he’s had to bypass two fences in his time, he has now jumped 223 others successfully, and his win here was a repeat of his 2016 success in this event.

He again jumped with alacrity as others blundered around him, and he forged clear after taking up the running at the penultimate fence, eventually putting 24 lengths between himself and runner-up Kimberlite Candy (Tom Lacey/Richie McLernon) with Le Breuil (Ben Pauling/Kielan Woods) running a fine race to be third, a further four and three quarter lengths back in arrears.

The winner almost certainly holds the record for the most Grand National fences successfully jumped without mishap.

He will need to complete again in April if he’s to equal the record set by Amberleigh House, who also completed nine times over the course while also having the bad luck to be brought down at the Canal Turn on his first attempt.

Red Rum doesn’t come close with the Grand National the only race run over the fences in his career, but the great Manifesto also completed the course nine times, with seven of those in the great race itself, usually under massive weights, including when carrying 12st 13lb in 1900 to be third, and running his last race at the age of 16 in the Valentine Chase at the 1904 autumn meeting.

Challengers

The first three here are all entitled to be considered as challengers for the 2021 Grand National, with the runner-up perhaps the likeliest winner after the handicapper slapped the winner with a punitive rise of 12lb for his wide-margin success.

Le Breuil is possibly the best handicapped of the trio, but he’s currently too well handicapped to get into the race, and Ben Pauling will be keen to see him win or run well in the Classic Chase at Warwick next month to ensure he has a better chance in the ballot.

Kimberlite Candy won that race last term, and is likely to attempt a repeat, while Vieux Lion Rouge has the final of the veterans’ series at Sandown in January as a tempting prep for Liverpool in April.

Grand Sefton win for Newland

The card also featured the Grand Sefton Chase over the big fences, with a strong field assembled, and it was Dr Richard Newland’s 20/1 chance Beau Bay (Charlie Hammond) who came out on top having saved every yard on the inside.

He beat Richard Spencer’s Sir Jack Yeats, who jumped boldly and well under an aggressive James Best ride to outrun his 33/1 odds, five lengths behind the winner, with Modus (Paul Nicholls/Jonjo O’Neill Jr) third, ahead of Flying Angel in fourth.

The third was the only one of that quartet who didn’t have previous experience of the fences, with Beau Bay and Flying Angel both finishing in the frame in this 12 months ago, and Sir Jack Yeats having run with credit in the last two runnings of the Foxhunters’ Chase.

The listed juvenile hurdle for fillies was well supported, although there were varying levels of readiness on show, with winner Talking About You (Sean Curran/Harry Bannister) making the most of her previous experience by causing a shock on her eighth start over timber.

The quartet who chased her home had raced just twice between them in this sphere, with runner-up Her Indoors (Alan King/Tom Bellamy) making her debut over hurdles and deserving plenty of credit in the circumstances.

Favourite Megan had beaten High Moor Flyer when that pair had made their respective bows at Leicester, and she confirmed the form by finishing one place in front of that rival again.