Melling Chase
Steeplechase horse race in Britain
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The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase 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.
| Class | Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Location | Aintree Racecourse Merseyside, England |
| Inaugurated | 1991 |
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | My Pension Expert |
| Website | Aintree |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 4f (4,023 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 7 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | £250,000 (2022) 1st: £140,325 |
| 2025 | ||
| Jonbon | Protektorat | Matata |
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.
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
- Fakir D'oudairies - 2021, 2022
- Jonbon - 2024, 2025
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Barry Geraghty – Moscow Flyer (2004, 2005), Finian's Rainbow (2012), Sprinter Sacre (2013)
Leading trainer (5 wins):
- Nicky Henderson - Remittance Man (1992), Finian's Rainbow (2012), Sprinter Sacre (2013), Jonbon (2024, 2025)
Winners
- The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[1]