Jonbon one of small but select field vying for Melling Chase glory

Jonbon will face just three rivals when he defends his My Pension Expert Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Nicky Henderson’s star chaser successfully stretched out to two and a half miles when claiming this Grade One 12 months ago and will now return to Merseyside seeking compensation for his Champion Chase reversal when second to Marine Nationale at the Cheltenham Festival.

He will lock horns with old adversary El Fabiolo for the first time this season, with Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old one of two for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede alongside Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Matata.

Dan Skelton’s Protektorat, third in this last year and fourth in the Ryanair at Cheltenham, completes the classy quartet heading to post.

The afternoon begins with a clash to savour between Ben Pauling’ Handstands and Paul Nicholls’ Cheltenham Festival hero Caldwell Potter in the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase

Gordon Elliott’s Brown Advisory runner-up Stellar Story and Mullins’ Dancing City add extra spice to a race which sees Polly Gundry’s Don’t Rightly Know step up in grade in search of a four-timer.

Romeo Coolio is another of the Elliott string to place at the Cheltenham Festival heading to Aintree with leading claims, and the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle third sets the standard in the TrustATrader Top Novices’ Hurdle.

Fergal O’Brien’s Dovecote winner Tripoli Flyer skipped a trip to Prestbury Park and heads the opposition, arriving unbeaten in three, while Salvator Mundi was a respectable fifth in the Festival opener and is another proven performer in what looks a deep novice event.

A full field will face the starter as the professionals get their first taste of the Grand National fences in the Randox Supporting Prostate Cancer UK Topham Handicap Chase, with leading contenders including the Mullins-trained pair of James Du Berlais and Blue Lord.

There are 16 declarations for the final Grade One of the afternoon, the Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, which sees Henderson’s Sidney Banks scorer Califet En Vol popular in the early betting along with course scorer Mister Meggit who will represent Jonjo and AJ O’Neill.