15.30
Good To SoftJCB Melling Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £140325
- 2m 3f 200y
- Class 1
- 7 runners
Runners: 7 runners
Type: Chase Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Light rain
2/1 (Won)
- Win: £6.00
- Place: £2.20
Form: 12-134 D
Last run: 28 days
W: 11st 10lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 165
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 2 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Two Grade 1 wins, namely the 2m4f novice chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (soft) and this season's Betfair Chase at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft); ran well for a long way before fading into fourth in last month's Gold Cup at Cheltenham (3m2f, good to soft); this drop back in trip could well be a positive move; effective here and respected in first-time cheekpieces. |
2/1 |
|
4th 5 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 3m 2f 70y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Won the 2m4f novice chase at the 2024 Festival (soft) and added a second Grade 1 win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft) this season; a mistake two out proved costly when 5l third of four to Spillane's Tower in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase here (3m1f, soft) in January and he rallied up the hill; however, he may just lack the required class today. |
12/1 |
|
3rd 1 |
24th Jan 2026 Soft 3m 1f 56y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Top-class 9yo, successful in ten of his 18 races; better than ever on his last two starts, winning Betfair Chase at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft) on reappearance with plenty in hand; has run well on both his outings at Cheltenham; again looks the one to beat. |
8/13 |
9/1
- Place: £3.10
Form: 14-315 D
Last run: 68 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 166
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 6 |
25th Apr 2026 Good 1m 7f 99y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Smart front-runner whose Grade 1 form features three wins at Leopardstown (2m1f) in 2024/2025 and neck second, showing career-best form, at Aintree (2m4f, good to soft) on latest start; one of the main contenders back down in distance. |
7/2 |
|
2nd 7 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Tailed off at Leopardstown in February when the soft ground was against him and a visor replaced his usual cheekpieces, which return today; prior to that he posted a third Grade 1 win at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) in December; there's a question mark regarding the step back up in trip for this front-runner but his trainer won this twice in a row with Fakir d'Oudairies in 2021 and 2022, and this 8yo arrives fresh after just two starts this winter; chance. |
9/1 |
11/8
Form: P-1411 D
Last run: 29 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 168
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 3 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
8yo who made his Grade 1 breakthrough in the Ryanair at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) last month; that 10l victory was a career-best performance and he will be tough to beat if reproducing the same scintillating form today; ran well in the Mildmay at this meeting in 2024 on sole run here. |
11/8 |
|
1st 4 |
12th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 127y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Has yet to win at above Grade 3 level although he only just failed against Croke Park in a less competitive Grade 1 than this at Fairyhouse (2m4f, yielding) in December 2024; he enjoyed his front-running role when winning at Tramore (2m7f, soft) in January when never seriously challenged and it's likely he will be ridden more prominently today than when no match for Fact To File in this race (good to soft) last March; he will still do well to fend off that winner but another place is perfectly achievable. |
10/1 |
|
4 |
15th Oct 2025 Good 2m 7f 39y |
11st 0lb |
Beat Corbetts Cross readily in a three-runner event at Wexford (2m7f, soft) on reappearance last October; just denied by Croke Park in the Drinmore; faded into fourth in Savills Chase at Leopardstown; enhanced his reputation with a fine second to Fact To File in the Ryanair; pulled a shoe when flopping at Fairyhouse at Easter; can go well when fresh; big chance at these weights. |
11/8 |
14/1
Form: -33214 D
Last run: 29 days
W: 11st 10lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 160
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 4 |
25th Apr 2026 Good 1m 7f 99y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Form since upped to 2m4f comprises a handicap win at Musselburgh and fourth-place finishes in Grade 1 events at Cheltenham and Aintree; return to shorter may not be an issue but he ideally needs a drop back in class. |
16/1 |
|
4th 4 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Proved his stamina when readily defying top weight in handicap at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) in January, and he was disputing the lead entering the straight in the Ryanair at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) last month only to fade up the hill; beaten just over 16l by the winner Heart Wood but today's less demanding track should be a big plus; not ruled out each-way. |
14/1 |
|
4th 7 |
12th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 127y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Made short work of conceding plenty of weight in his first 2m4f chase - a Musselburgh handicap (good to soft) in January - and with his best sibling staying 3m well, there's a fair chance he'll cope with this much stiffer test at the trip; however, his three previous Festival runs, including a 2m handicap last year, suggest he'll be pushed to play a part in this company. |
33/1 |
15/2
Form: P12-2P D
Last run: 83 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 156
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 1 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Made mistakes and pulled up in the Clarence House at Ascot in January when last seen; however, prior to that he reappeared with a good second to subsequent Gold Cup runner-up Jango Baie in the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot (2m5f, good) and last season's best performance came when runner-up in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase over C&D (good to soft) in April; arrives fresh, whereas most of these ran at the Cheltenham Festival; interesting. |
15/2 |
|
1 |
17th Jan 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 172y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Lightly raced 8yo who won Grade 2s as a novice hurdler and novice chaser; ran as well as he's ever done when 9l second to top-class Jango Baie in Grade 2 chase here (2m5f, good; handles soft) in November; more needed today but the drop back in trip should not inconvenience him in the slightest. |
7/1 |
|
2nd 4 |
3rd Apr 2025 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Grade 2 novice hurdle winner (2m4f, good to soft) who was pulled up on chase debut in November (irregular heartbeat) but impressed in four-runner Grade 2 novice at Windsor (2m, soft) in January, when subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Caldwell Potter was 4l behind in second; unraced on good ground; the step back up in trip seems a likely plus; firmly in calculations. |
5/1 |
11/1
Form: 43-133 D
Last run: 30 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 163
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Third of five in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase here (2m, good) 12 months ago and reappeared with a win in the Grade 2 Shloer at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November; ran well when 12l third in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) last month but doesn't appear to be crying out for this step up in trip, and Harry Skelton rides Grey Dawning. |
11/1 |
|
3rd 6 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Progressive in the main; smart novice chaser last term and ties in closely with Majborough on Arkle bare form (good to soft; finished a close fourth); below par in the 2025 Tingle Creek when last seen but this looks the day to catch him; successful the last three times he has returned from a break of two months or bigger, most recently in this season's Shloer over C&D (soft) when easily beating his rivals and registering a fourth Graded win, as well as cementing his Champion Chase claims; favourably fresh and rightly respected. |
4/1 |
|
2 |
1st Nov 2025 Good 2m 0f 172y Class 1 |
11st 12lb |
One of Britain's best 2m novice chasers last season and held his own in the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and Aintree; didn't jump as well as he can on the latter occasion when tried in cheekpieces and those aids are now left off; high in the weights for a reason but he may prefer softer ground and will have new handling, having only been ridden by Harry Skelton in Britain. |
50/1
Form: 12122P D
Last run: 30 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 155
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Progressive front-runner who has won two handicaps this term (2m3f/2m1f, good to firm/soft) and came second in the Grade 2 Game Spirit at Newbury (2m, heavy) in February; a bad mistake at the first fence all but ended his race in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month; sent off 50-1 at the Festival and his form has to go to a new level if he's to pose a threat today. |
50/1 |
|
10 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Acts on any ground; has become a very consistent chaser; form figures this term read 12122, the second-place finishes in Grade 2 events, including handicaps; ran creditably behind a leading novice in the Game Spirit at Newbury most recently; even if he gives his running again, that won't be nearly enough to trouble the judge now that he is upped further in class; a lot to find. |
50/1 |
|
2nd 7 |
7th Feb 2026 Soft 2m 0f 92y Class 1 |
11st 2lb |
Acts on soft ground; has become a very consistent handicap chaser; form figures this term read 1212, the second-place finishes behind progressive Thistle Ask in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton; better than ever, has won at Newbury and looks sure to run his race; rock-solid claims. |
7/2 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £38.30 |
| Straight Forecast | £39.02 |
| Trifecta | £71.60 |
Selections
Daily Record:
Heart Wood