Veteran Oscar Time turns back the clock to land the Betfred Becher Chase at Aintree

It must be something about the Merseyside air and the challenge of the big Aintree obstacles, but the Waley-Cohens were once again in the winners enclosure thanks to Oscar Time.

Owner-trainer Robert Waley-Cohen and jockey and son Sam teamed up as veteran Oscar Time turned back the clock to land the Betfred Becher Chase at a packed Aintree.

The Waley-Cohens have an superb record around the National course and at the age of 13 Oscar Time who had finished second in 2011 and fourth earlier this year in Crabbies Grand National finally grabbed his own Aintree victory when he held on for glory to score by three-quarters-of-a-length from Harry Frys Mendip Express (12-1). Saint Are (12-1) finished three lengths further back in third with a length to Alfie Spinner (25-1), who was just a neck ahead of last years winner Chance Du Roy in fourth.

Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen was grabbing a fifth success over the National fences but a first in the Grade Three Becher Chase.

Oscar Time took over at the head of affairs from the well-backed 8-1 favourite Our Father after the last fence and he held off the challenge of Mendip Express ridden by another amateur jockey Will Biddick - to triumph.

After two cracks at the National itself Oscar Time wont be returning to Aintree for the worlds greatest steeplechase at the grand old age of 14 on April 11 next year.

Instead connections were just revelling in another big success on Merseyside in front of an estimated 30,000-plus crowd.

Winning owner-trainer Robert Waley-Cohen said: We bought him to run in the National and the first year he was second for us when brilliantly trained by Martin Lynch and then he was fourth but picked up an injury, so we took him home and nursed him back to health.

He won a point-to-point and a couple of hunter chases and even though he was 13 he showed that he still had it.

This was the target, hes better here than anywhere. He doesnt get the National trip and he will be 14 in a few weeks so he won't run.

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Veteran Oscar Time turns back the clock to land the Betfred Becher Chase at Aintree