The 2026 Melling Chase at Aintree presents a thrilling field despite the absence of Jonbon. Heart Wood, after a stellar performance in the Ryanair Chase, is favored to win. However, attentive bettors should note Solness, priced at 16/1, as a potential value bet. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Solness has a commendable record, especially on flat tracks, and could capitalize on the favorable ground conditions. The field also includes notable names like Grey Dawning, Gidleigh Park, and L'Eau Du Sud, adding excitement to the race dynamics.
Odds and betting predictions for the 2026 Melling Chase
This Grade One takes place at Aintree on Friday 10th April
Solness is our value bet at 16/1
Expired
The Melling Chase at Aintree. (Getty)
The feature race on day two of the Grand National Festival at Aintree is the Melling Chase. Two-time champion Jonbon doesn't feature in the field this year, but a classy field has been declared to contest this two-and-a-half mile chase.
In the absence of Fact To File, Heart Wood ran out a tremendous winner of the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Henry de Bromhead's eight-year-old wasn't beaten far when third behind Inothwayurthinkin in the Mildmay Novices' Chase in 2024, and returns to Aintree as the well-fancied favourite.
Dan Skelton will be represented by two horses who haven't run over this trip this season. Harry rides Grey Dawning, on the back of his fourth-place finish in the Gold Cup. Tristan Durrell gets the leg-up on L'Eau Du Sud, third on his most recent start in the Champion Chase.
Gidleigh Park has been fairly uncompetitive on his two starts this season, but ran a blinder to finish second to Impaire Et Passe in last year's Manifesto Novices' Chase. JPR One attempted to make all in the Ryanair Chase, but faded quickly back to fourth as Heart Wood took up the running before the second-last.
Solness looks set to represent Joseph O'Brien and JJ Slevin. The seventh and final runner is Saint Segal, who was pulled up early in the Champion Chase after an error-strewn first mile.
2026 Melling Chase Tips
Heart Wood is hard to oppose after his demolition job in the Ryanair. However, I feel like SOLNESS (16/1) has been a little overlooked.
No one in this field has won more Grade Ones than Joseph O'Brien's eight-year-old. Solness has captured top honours around Leopardstown on three occasions, beating Marine Nationale twice, Majborough and Gaelic Warrior.
O'Brien's gelding has raced solely over two miles for the past couple of seasons. Solness has won over two-and-a-half miles earlier in his career, and should, given his love for Leopardstown, relish the flat, galloping track here at Aintree.
Solness needs decent ground to be at his best, so that run at the Dublin Racing Festival is easily forgiven. With ground conditions in his favour on Friday, I could see Slevin's mount troubling the more fancied runners.
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