Heart Wood gunning for Cheltenham-Aintree double in Melling Chase
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 9 Apr 2026
Heart Wood can cap a fine season when following up his emphatic Ryanair Chase victory at the Cheltenham Festival in the JCB Melling Chase at Aintree.
Henry de Bromhead’s eight-year-old took full advantage of the absence of Fact To File when romping to a 10-length success at Prestbury Park and could now become the first horse since Albertas Run in 2010 to do the Ryanair-Melling double in the same campaign.
“We didn’t feel this was the ideal time of the season to try three miles again and coming on the back of that great performance at Cheltenham we think this is the ideal fit for him,” said Robbie Power, racing manager for owners Robcour.
“He seems to have come out of Cheltenham in good form and everyone at Knockeen has been very happy with him, so this is the obvious place.
“It’s fair to say he’s taken his form to another level this term. He’s improved a lot this year and we were hopeful going to Cheltenham, but probably didn’t think he would produce the performance he did as it was an unbelievable performance.
“Hopefully he can go and back it up. All he could do at Cheltenham was beat what was there and he couldn’t have beaten them more impressively, he was great.”
Although Heart Wood is seeking to supplement Ryanair riches, this race has often provided the opportunity for champion two-milers to strike and it is interesting Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud moves up in distance after an honourable third in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last month.
He is joined in the field by stablemate Grey Dawning, who in contrast drops back in distance after a brave run to finish fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
One who missed Cheltenham but has smart course form is Gidleigh Park, who was second in the novice Grade One over the same track and trip last term.
The eight-year-old’s reoccurring issue with a fibrillating heart reared its head when pulled up early in the Clarence House Chase last time, but trainer Harry Fry is hopeful the long rest before this run could pay dividend.
Fry said: “It was all over rather early at Ascot last time and we have given ourselves time to get him right since then and we’re very happy with how he has been in the build-up to this.
“We just hope he doesn’t have any reoccurrence of the atrial fibrillation that reared its head last time and hopefully he will be able to put in a good performance. It was why his race was over early at Ascot and we monitor it the best we can and have given him plenty of time.
“He ran so well over the course and distance last year, so we’re looking forward to him taking his chance and hopefully putting Ascot firmly behind him having run well behind Jango Baie before that on his reappearance.”
Also taking his chance is Joe Tizzard’s JPR One, who was fourth behind the aforementioned Heart Wood at the Cheltenham Festival.
Tizzard said: “I had him in the handicap on Thursday but two or three have come out of the Melling, it’s two and a half around a flat track and he seems in lovely form.
“It’s difficult to win a handicap off 160 so we’re going to have a go with him again. He’s come out of Cheltenham really well and he’ll love the ground.
“It will be interesting to see. Coming down the hill at Cheltenham, bar Heart Wood he had them at it a little bit. I’m looking forward to running him.”
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