- Melling Chase
-
Grade 1 race
Melling ChaseLocation Aintree Racecourse
Merseyside, EnglandInaugurated 1991 Race type Chase Sponsor John Smith's Website Aintree Race information Distance 2m 4f (4,023 metres) Track Turf, left-handed Qualification Five-years-old and up Weight 11 st 10 lb
Allowances
7 lb for maresPurse £175,000 (2010)
1st: £99,768The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in early April.
The event is named after Melling, a nearby village which is made famous by Melling Road, a public road which crosses the racecourse. It was established in 1991, and it has held Grade 1 status throughout its history. The race is currently staged on the second day of the three-day Grand National meeting.
The field often includes horses which ran in the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase at the previous month's Cheltenham Festival.
Contents
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Viking Flagship – 1995, 1996
- Direct Route – 1999, 2000
- Native Upmanship – 2002, 2003
- Moscow Flyer – 2004, 2005
- Voy Por Ustedes – 2008, 2009
Leading jockey (3 wins):
- Conor O'Dwyer – Opera Hat (1998), Native Upmanship (2002, 2003)
Leading trainer (2 wins):
- Josh Gifford – Deep Sensation (1993), Katabatic (1994)
- David Nicholson – Viking Flagship (1995, 1996)
- Howard Johnson – Direct Route (1999, 2000)
- Arthur Moore – Native Upmanship (2002, 2003)
- Jessica Harrington – Moscow Flyer (2004, 2005)
- Alan King – Voy Por Ustedes (2008, 2009)
- Paul Nicholls - Fadalko (2001), Master Minded (2011)
Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1991 Blazing Walker 7 Chris Grant Arthur Stephenson 1992 Remittance Man 8 Richard Dunwoody Nicky Henderson 1993 Deep Sensation 8 Declan Murphy Josh Gifford 1994 Katabatic 11 Simon McNeill Josh Gifford 1995 Viking Flagship 8 Adrian Maguire David Nicholson 1996 Viking Flagship 9 Tony McCoy David Nicholson 1997 Martha's Son 10 Carl Llewellyn Tim Forster 1998 Opera Hat 10 Conor O'Dwyer John Fowler 1999 Direct Route 8 Norman Williamson Howard Johnson 2000 Direct Route 9 Norman Williamson Howard Johnson 2001 Fadalko 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2002 Native Upmanship 9 Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore 2003 Native Upmanship 10 Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore 2004 Moscow Flyer 10 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington 2005 Moscow Flyer 11 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington 2006 Hi Cloy 9 Andrew J. McNamara Michael Hourigan 2007 Monet's Garden 9 Tony Dobbin Nicky Richards 2008 Voy Por Ustedes 7 Robert Thornton Alan King 2009 Voy Por Ustedes 8 Robert Thornton Alan King 2010 Albertas Run 9 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill 2011 Master Minded 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls See also
References
- aintree.co.uk – 2010 John Smith's Grand National Media Guide.
- pedigreequery.com – Melling Chase – Aintree.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1992/93. Aesculus Press. 1992. p. 60. ISBN 1-871093-91-0.
Categories:- National Hunt races in Great Britain
- Aintree Racecourse
- National Hunt chases
- Recurring sporting events established in 1991
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