Sefton second Gesskille chasing Becher compensation

Trainer Oliver Greenall admits it would be ‘very special’ if Gesskille can make a successful return to Aintree by going one better on his second start over the iconic Grand National fences and become the first six year old to win the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase on Saturday.

The 36 year old, who trains in partnership with Josh Guerriero, spent much of his youth growing up at the world famous track with his father Lord Daresbury, Chairman of the Merseyside venue between 1989 and 2014.

Having watched some of the modern day greats grace the track during his childhood Greenall now hopes he can celebrate a winner over the unique fences with Gesskille, who is one of 25 confirmations received today for the Premier Handicap Chase. Gesskille heads the market at 4-1 with race sponsor Boylesports.

“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,” said Greenall.

“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.

“The statistics are against him as six year olds have a pretty poor record in this race but he is a French horse so started training much earlier and has been racing longer than others his age.”

After claiming Listed glory in Auteuil back in June, on the second of two trips to France in the spring, Gesskille failed by just a nose to follow that success up in last month’s Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.

Although the step up to three and quarter miles this weekend is something of an unknown, Greenall is confident that both the additional distance and the softer surface will work in the gelded son of Network’s favour.

“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 run 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.”

Looking beyond this weekend Greenall hopes that a tilt at the Randox Grand National could be on the cards in the future with Gesskille having appeared to take a liking to the fences. However he insists he is taking things one step at a time.

Greenall concluded: “He could possibly be a Grand National horse in the future but he does need to keep improving.

“When he first came over he lost his way a bit having been a good horse and he was really hard to gauge at home. When we went to Ludlow last season we were not sure what we had as he is quite a quiet horse at home.

“He is an absolute gent though and straightforward to deal with and he took two trips to France in the spring all in his stride which bodes well for the future.

“We are just taking each race as it comes, starting with the Becher, but the Grand National could be a possibility in the future.”

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.