Blast From The Past: BetBright Chase

The BetBright Chase was won by the legendary Desert Orchid in 1990 and is often a key trial for the Grand National, with Rhyme 'n' Reason (1988) and Rough Quest (1996) both winning this race en route to Aintree glory. Four of the 13 runners on Saturday also hold an entry in this year's Grand National, but only Double Shuffle from that quartet is guaranteed a run in the race widely regarded as the world's greatest steeplechase.

Double Shuffle is the current favourite for the first leg of the BetBright Chase/Grand National double at Kempton and comes into the race on the back of a decisive victory over the C&D in December. Double Shuffle has a 6 lb hike in the weights to contend with this weekend, but he could yet prove capable of better over this trip and represents a trainer with a fine record in this race.

Indeed, Tom George can be forgiven if he feels a bit sentimental at Kempton on Saturday, as he remembers the exploits in this race of dual winner Nacarat. The Racing Post Chase became the Racing Plus Chase in 2012 - BetBright didn't take over the sponsorship until 2014 - but one thing that did not change was the part played in the race over that period by George's spring-heeled grey. 

Nacarat had beaten the largest field in the race's long history when winning for the first time in 2009 and returned to finish placed in each of the next two renewals, including when producing the best effort of his career to finish second in 2010. He was conceding 17 lb to the winner, Razor Royale, on that occasion and performed heroically in going down by just a neck, with some 25 lengths back to the third.

Nacarat arrived at Kempton for the 2012 renewal seemingly in worse form than in previous years, but it did not look the strongest edition of the race beforehand and he was sent off the 9/2 joint-second favourite in a field of 10. Michel Le Bon was the 7/2 favourite, despite his absence since finishing down the field in the Hennessy, with former Punchestown Gold Cup-winner Planet of Sound (9/2) and the consistent Hector's Choice (15/2) also featuring prominently in the betting. 

Fiendish Flame set a fierce gallop in the early stages and was largely ignored by the remainder of the field, with jockey Paddy Brennan quite content to lead the chasing pack in second on the typically bold jumping Nacarat. Nacarat hit the front when the leader inevitably began to tire six out, by which point Michel Le Bon was already beginning to struggle and was soon pulled up by Ruby Walsh.

There were a few anxious moments for Nacarat's supporters when he came off the bridle and was headed by Hector's Choice with three to jump, but a mistake from that rival at the next obstacle soon saw the equilibrium restored, and the grey quickly forged 11 lengths clear in the closing stages for a popular victory, with top-weight Planet of Sound another six lengths back in third.

That was to prove a last hurrah for Nacarat, who failed to trouble the judge in four subsequent starts and was retired after beating only one home when running in the BetBright Chase for the fifth year in succession. He also won the Charlie Hall Chase and Aintree Bowl in a terrific career, but is perhaps best remembered for his fluent displays over Kempton's steeplechase course, which often conjured up memories of the great Desert Orchid.

Nacarat retired with a record of nine wins from 38 starts and spent the rest of his days at the home of owner Simon Clarke, where he sadly died after suffering a serious injury in March 2015 at the age of 14.