THE Irish grip on the John Smith’s Grand National may have eased a little earlier this year, but Black Apalachi provided a big hint they will be looking to wrest it back after victory in the totesport.com Becher Chase at Aintree yesterday.

Dessie Hughes’s nine-year-old had come to grief after just two fences as David Pipe’s Comply Or Die went on to land the Aintree showpiece in April. But Black Apalachi showed he hadn’t picked up an aversion to the daunting Aintree obstacles as he was at the head of affairs for much of the way, jumping exceptionally well in the heavy conditions under Denis O’Regan, before asserting after the second last to come home 74-lengths ahead of runner-up Mr Pointment.

He was a comfortable winner although the wide margin of victory had much to do with last year’s winner Mr Pointment coming to a standstill on the run to the line, before picking up again after being passed by eventual third and Black Apalachi’s stable-mate Oulart.

Black Apalachi had been a pre-race gamble and went off the well-backed 15-2 chance. Bookmakers reacted to the win in the 3m2f contest by clipping Hughes’s gelding to as low as 16-1 for next April’s Aintree showpiece, although Ladbrokes are best at 33-1.

Three Becher Chase winners – Earth Summit, Amberleigh House and Silver Birch – have all tasted success in the National itself, but none have completed the double in the same season in the 16 years of it being run.

But connections can dream of Black Apalachi returning on April 4 after yesterday’s success.

Trainer Hughes was represented by his son, top Flat jockey Richard, and he said: “He cart wheeled at the second fence in the National.

“They were going flat to the board and he couldn’t get the landing gear out in time.

“This is a good trial for the National but he would need the ground soft as he is an out-and-out stayer.

“The rain today suited him but it would have been against Oulart. That is why we brought both over as the ground would suit one of them.”

Paul Nicholls, who has had a frustrating weekend with several well-fancied runners failing to win, said of his runner-up: “He takes a while to warm to it, but if we can ride him like that in the National on better ground, and if the handicapper drops him a few pounds, he would have a realistic chance.”

In the other race over the National fences Scottish trainer Jim Goldie scored back-to-back successes in the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase as Endless Power made all under 19-year-old James Reveley.

The eight-year-old had to be kept up to his task to hold off the fast-finishing Brooklyn Brownie, in a finish that brought memories of Red Rum’s collaring of long-time leader Crisp in his first win in 1973. Goldie said: “I am just glad it wasn’t Red Rum chasing him!

“The owners wanted to go for the Paddy Power but I had always targeted this race. It was heart-in-the-mouth stuff but he jumped great and never touched a twig.

“We’ll look forward to April when the Topham would be a possibility.”

TODAY’S NAP: Ever Present (2.40pm Ayr).