You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 Melling Chase Preview
The Grade 1 Melling Chase is scheduled to take place in April of each year at the Aintree racecourse. The race is open to runners who are aged five or older. Run during the Grand National meeting, the race is run over two miles and four furlongs, with sixteen fences to be jumped.
Melling Chase Information:
If you are looking at Aintree picks then you may be interested in the Grand National tips as this is the course showpiece race of the season, forty runners over the national fences is a favourite among racing fans. We cover every race at the Aintree Grand National Meeting, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Melling Chase market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2025, when the race had an over-round of 107%. The race in 2015 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 119%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Melling Chase, the over-round has been 114%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ114 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Melling Chase Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Melling Chase Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Melling Chase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Grey Dawning (4:50.60) in 2026
- Don Cossack (4:53.10) in 2015
- Jonbon (4:53.73) in 2025
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Melling Chase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 9 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +14.49. Ahead of the 2027 Melling Chase, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2018 renewal when Politologue from Paul Nicholls under the guidance of Sam Twiston-Davies, won in a time of 5:18.50, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Grey Dawning, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton set the quickest time of 4:50.60 in the 2026 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Melling Chase Past Winners
Here are the Melling Chase past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Melling Chase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4:50.60 | Grey Dawning (IRE) 9yo 11-10 5/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2025 4:53.73 | Jonbon (FR) 9yo 11-10 4/6F | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2024 5:12.29 | Jonbon (FR) 8yo 11-10 11/10F | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2023 5:02.41 | Pic DOrhy (FR) 8yo 11-10 4/1 | Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls (GB) |
| 2022 4:57.48 | Fakir Doudairies (FR) 7yo 11-7 10/11F | Mark Walsh Joseph Patrick O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 5:03.75 | Fakir Doudairies (FR) 6yo 11-7 2/1F | Mark Walsh Joseph Patrick O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2019 5:02.70 | Min (FR) 8yo 11-7 2/1F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2018 5:18.50 | Politologue (FR) 7yo 11-7 11/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls (GB) |
| 2017 4:58.00 | Fox Norton (FR) 7yo 11-7 4/1 | Robbie Power Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2016 5:08.20 | Gods Own (IRE) 8yo 11-10 10/1 | Paddy Brennan Tom George (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Melling Chase have been based:
- GB: 14 winners with an additional 19 placings from 113 runners
- IRE: 6 winners with an additional 9 placings from 41 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 3 runners
2026 Melling Chase Replay
Melling Chase Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Melling Chase over the last 20 renewals is Nicky Henderson, who has won the race four times, with those four winners coming from Finians Rainbow (2012), Sprinter Sacre (2013) and Jonbon (2024 & 2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Melling Chase are Paul Nicholls (3 wins), W P Mullins (2 wins), Alan King (2 wins) and Joseph Patrick O'Brien (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Melling Chase trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Henderson | 16-4-4 | -8.27 | -10.12 |
| Paul Nicholls | 22-3-8 | +1.50 | -0.13 |
| W P Mullins | 8-2-3 | +1.00 | -0.11 |
| Alan King | 6-2-3 | +2.38 | +2.26 |
| Joseph Patrick O'Brien | 4-2-4 | +0.91 | +2.03 |
| Tom George | 6-1-2 | +5.00 | +2.15 |
| Dan Skelton | 6-1-2 | +0.00 | +0.57 |
| Jonjo O'Neill | 4-1-4 | +5.00 | +5.44 |
| Gordon Elliott | 4-1-2 | +0.00 | +0.80 |
| Nicky Richards | 3-1-2 | +2.00 | +1.75 |
Melling Chase Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Melling Chase over the last 20 renewals, with both Mark Walsh and Nico de Boinville having won the race twice. Mark Walsh winners have been with Fakir Doudairies (2021 & 2022). Nico de Boinville winners have been with Jonbon (2024 & 2025).
Here are some of the top Melling Chase jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Walsh | 3-2-3 | +1.91 | +1.53 |
| Nico de Boinville | 3-2-2 | +0.77 | -0.31 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 5-1-1 | +7.00 | +2.88 |
| Harry Skelton | 5-1-2 | +1.00 | +1.57 |
| Harry Cobden | 5-1-2 | +0.00 | -0.69 |
| Paul Townend | 4-1-2 | +2.00 | +1.64 |
| Brian Hughes | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| Lorcan Williams | 3-0-1 | -3.00 | -1.40 |
| J J Slevin | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | +0.50 |
| Nick Scholfield | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | +0.10 |
2027 Melling Chase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): PU, 3, 2, 1, (2, F), 2, 1, 1, 7, (1, 4), F, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (62%) - Achieved a TS of 145+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (68%) - Ran in 13 - 28 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (69%) - Ran in 3 - 13 races (Class)
- 20 / 20 (71%) - Achieved a TS of 125+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (73%) - No bigger than 14/1
- 20 / 20 (73%) - Ran in 13 - 30 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (74%) - Achieved an RPR of 149+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Had 8 - 23 placings (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Highest Placed is G1
- 20 / 20 (79%) - No older than a 9yo
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Achieved an RPR of 157+ (Class)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Ran in 2 - 13 races (Going)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 20/1 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Achieved a TS of 75+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - No bigger than 50/1 (Career)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Aintree racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Melling Chase. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over ÂŁ6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Melling Chase by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Melling Chase Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +33.94, is when runners had 3 places in the past 180 days.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 0 career places in the class, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-36.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Melling Chase is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 17 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 155 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 2 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Melling Chase:
- Walk In The Park (3 Wins)
- Kapgarde (2 Wins)
- Villez (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Hi Cloy in 2006, winning for Michael Hourigan at odds of 14/1 under the guidance of Andrew J McNamara. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 9 winning favourites in the race. Ahead of the 2027 Melling Chase, why not head over to the best racing tipster page to see what the tipsters are backing today?
Route to the Melling Chase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Melling Chase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Grey Dawning Cheltenham - 4th of 10 (16/1) | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 2025 - Jonbon Cheltenham - 2nd of 8 (5/6) | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 2024 - Jonbon Cheltenham - 2nd of 5 (1/4) | Clarence House Chase |
| 2023 - Pic DOrhy Ascot - 2nd of 6 (3/1) | Ascot Chase |
| 2022 - Fakir Doudairies Ascot - 1st of 8 (9/4) | Ascot Chase |
| 2021 - Fakir Doudairies Cheltenham - 2nd of 11 (11/2) | Ryanair Chase |
| 2019 - Min Cheltenham - 4th of 9 (7/2) | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 2018 - Politologue Cheltenham - 4th of 9 (12/1) | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 2017 - Fox Norton Cheltenham - 2nd of 10 (7/1) | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 2016 - Gods Own Cheltenham - 4th of 10 (20/1) | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
Schedule for Thursday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The three-day Grand National meeting kicks off on Thursday with four Grade 1 events on the seven-race card, which features both the Aintree Hurdle and the Bowl Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle | Mange Tout (FR) 4yo - 5/1 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 14:20 Aintree Manifesto Novices Chase | Koktail Divin (FR) 6yo - 3/1 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| 14:55 Aintree Bowl Chase | Jango Baie (FR) 7yo - 1/1 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 15:30 Aintree Foxhunters Chase | Barton Snow (IRE) 9yo - 7/4 | J J O'Shea Mr Henry Crow |
| 16:05 Aintree Aintree Hurdle | Brighterdaysahead (FR) 7yo - 13/8 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 16:40 Aintree Red Rum Handicap Chase | Ryans Rocket (IRE) 8yo - 14/1 | Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke |
| 17:15 Aintree Nickel Coin Mares Bumper | Nans Choice (IRE) 5yo - 9/2 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
Schedule for Friday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
Day 2 of the Grand National meeting is Ladies Day or Fabulous Friday, the highlights on the track being the Melling Chase, plus there is the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle | Wellington Arch (GB) 7yo - 6/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:20 Aintree Mildmay Novices Chase | Gold Dancer (FR) 7yo - 100/30 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:55 Aintree Top Novices Hurdle | Storming George (IRE) 6yo - 16/1 | Neil King Jack Quinlan |
| 15:30 Aintree Melling Chase | Grey Dawning (IRE) 9yo - 5/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 16:05 Aintree Topham Chase | Will The Wise (IRE) 7yo - 9/1 | Gavin Cromwell Conor Stone-Walsh |
| 16:40 Aintree Sefton Novices Hurdle | Zeus Power (GER) 5yo - 3/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin |
| 17:15 Aintree National Meeting 2m Handicap Hurdle | Laafi (FR) 6yo - 20/1 | William Durkan Patrick M O'Brien |
Schedule for Saturday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The Grand National is obviously the showpiece of the Aintree meeting, and day 3 also includes three Grade 1 events, the feature of those being the Liverpool Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 12:45 Aintree Maghull Novices Chase | Mirabad (FR) 7yo - 50/1 | Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell |
| 13:20 Aintree National Meeting 3m Handicap Hurdle | Wade Out (IRE) 7yo - 18/1 | Olly Murphy Gavin Sheehan |
| 13:55 Aintree Mersey Novices Hurdle | Bossman Jack (GB) 6yo - 11/4 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 14:30 Aintree Freebooter Handicap Chase | Mr Hope Street (IRE) 8yo - 4/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 15:05 Aintree Liverpool Hurdle | Home By The Lee (IRE) 11yo - 5/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin |
| 16:00 Aintree Grand National | I Am Maximus (FR) 10yo - 9/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 17:00 Aintree Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race | Forthfactor (IRE) 5yo - 10/1 | Dan Skelton Miss Heidi Palin |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Melling Chase Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Aintree Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Aintree racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
