JCB Melling Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) – Aintree

Aintree

15:30

JCB Melling Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Date 2026-04-10

Distance 2m3f200y

Class Class 1

Going Good To Soft

Type Chase

Surface Turf

Age Band 5yo+

Prize £140,325

Weather Overcast

Temp 6.6°C

Wind 15mph W

Rain 25%

Winning Time 4m 50.60s (fast by 1.40s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Grey Dawning (IRE) Harry Skelton · Dan Skelton	5/1	Won
2nd	Solness (FR) J J Slevin · Joseph Patrick O'Brien	8/1	0.3
3rd	Heart Wood (FR) Darragh O'Keeffe · Henry De Bromhead	6/5F	11
4th	JPR One (IRE) Brendan Powell · Joe Tizzard	16/1	6
5th	Gidleigh Park (GB) Bryan Carver · Harry Fry	4/1	2.5

Non-Runners / Other

Status	Horse	SP
P.U.	L'Eau du Sud (FR) Tristan Durrell · Dan Skelton	11/1
P.U.	Saint Segal (FR) Ciaran Gethings · Jane Williams	33/1

Runners (7)

EW Terms: 2 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
3	Heart Wood Bay J:Darragh O'Keeffe T:Henry De Bromhead	J:Darragh O'Keeffe T:Henry De Bromhead	164	—	P-1411	168	174	168	29d	0W/1P 1 run	0W/1P 1 run	+3	42	0.30/1	6/5 45%
10l win in the Ryanair last month; tough to beat if reproducing same scintillating form
1	Gidleigh Park Bay J:Bryan Carver T:Harry Fry	J:Bryan Carver T:Harry Fry	164	—	P12-2P	156	166	153	83d	0W/0P 1 run	0W/0P 1 run	+14	31.7	0.88/1	7/2 22%
Pulled up in January but arrives fresh and last season's best performance came over C&D
2	Grey Dawning Grey J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	164	p	12-134	165	175	170	28d	1W/1P 1 run	1W/1P 1 run	+17	33.8	1.13/1	9/2 18%
Ran well for long way in last month's Gold Cup; the drop back in trip could be a good move
7	Solness Bay J:J J Slevin T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	J:J J Slevin T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	164	tp	14-315	166	170	154	68d	0W/1P 1 run	0W/1P 1 run	+22	31.7	2.13/1	17/2 11%
Strong form when winning Grade 1 at Leopardstown in December; chance if seeing it out
5	L'Eau du Sud Grey J:Tristan Durrell T:Dan Skelton	J:Tristan Durrell T:Dan Skelton	164	t	43-133	163	171	149	30d	—	—	+24	29.9	3.50/1	14/1 7%
Pretty solid performer in top 2m chases but doesn't appear to be crying out for this trip
4	JPR One b/br J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	164	tp	-33214	160	168	153	29d	0W/0P 1 run	0W/0P 1 run	+34	40.1	4.00/1	16/1 6%
Bang there for a long way in the Ryanair; this less demanding track is a big plus
6	Saint Segal Bay J:Ciaran Gethings T:Jane Williams	J:Ciaran Gethings T:Jane Williams	164	t	12122P	155	164	148	30d	—	—	+33	35.5	10.00/1	40/1 2%
Progressive this season, with two handicap wins, but form needs to go to another new level

Horse	bet365	Coral	Virgin Bet
Heart Wood	6/5	6/5	6/5
Gidleigh Park	7/2	7/2	7/2
Grey Dawning	9/2	9/2	9/2
Solness	17/2	8/1	17/2
L'Eau du Sud	14/1	12/1	14/1
JPR One	16/1	16/1	16/1
Saint Segal	40/1	28/1	33/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Heart Wood

OR: 29.5 Form: 0 Odds: 12.5

6/5

2nd

JPR One

40.1

OR: 27.5 Form: 11 Odds: 1.6

16/1

3rd

Saint Segal

35.5

OR: 26.3 Form: 8.5 Odds: 0.8

40/1

Grey Dawning

33.8

OR: 28.8 Form: 0 Odds: 5

9/2

Gidleigh Park

31.7

OR: 26.5 Form: 0 Odds: 5.2

7/2

Solness

31.7

OR: 29 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

17/2

L'Eau du Sud

29.9

OR: 28.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.6

14/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Heart Wood	168	174	168
Solness	166	170	154
Grey Dawning	165	175	170
L'Eau du Sud	163	171	149
JPR One	160	168	153
Gidleigh Park	156	166	153
Saint Segal	155	164	148

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Grey Dawning	28d ago	Fit
Heart Wood	29d ago	Fit
JPR One	29d ago	Fit
L'Eau du Sud	30d ago	Fit
Saint Segal	30d ago	Fit
Solness	68d ago	Fresh
Gidleigh Park	83d ago	Fresh

Pace Profile

Horse	Running Style
Solness	Front Runner
Saint Segal	Front Runner

Inferred from horse comments. 2 of 7 runners classified.