Melling Chase

The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 steeplechase run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs on the Mildmay Course at Aintree in early April. Open to horses aged five years and upwards, the race is currently sponsored by leading American stockbroker Marsh & McLennan and, hence, known as the Marsh Chase for sponsorship purposes. The officially registered title, though, comes from the nearby village of Melling in Sefton, Merseyside. The Melling Chase is currently scheduled as the fourth race on the second day of the three-day Grand National Festival, a.k.a. Ladies’ Day.

The Melling Chase was inaugurated, as a Grade 1 contest, in 1991 and has maintained that status throughout its lifetime. Indeed, the field often features horses that contested the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the roll of honour includes the likes of Viking Flagship, Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Sprinter Sacre and Politologue. Paul Nicholls, trainer of Master Minded and Politologue, and Nicky Henderson, trainer of Sprinter Sacre, have both saddled three winners apiece and are, jointly, the leading handlers in the history of the Melling Chase.

A total of half a dozen horses have won the Melling Chase twice, but the most recent to them, Fakir D’oudairies, who won back-to-back renewals in 2021 and 2022, may be in a position to attempt an unprecedented hat-trick in 2023. Joseph O’Brien’s Kapgarde gelding will still only be an 8-year-old by the time 3.25pm on Friday, April 8 rolls around, so it will be interesting to see how his season develops. Of course, top-class two-mile steeplechasers, such as Energumene, Shiskin and Edwardstone, are always possibilities while, from the ‘intermediate’ division, leading Ryanair Chase fancies Allaho and Galopin Des Champs are other possibilities.

Richard Pitman

Richard Pitman, 75, has been involved with the Grand National, in one form or another for over five decades. He is, of course, the erstwhile husband of Jenny Pitman, who became the first woman to train a Grand National winner in 1983. However, Richard had his first ride in the Grand National aboard the 13-year-old Dorimont in 1967. Dorimont had won the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival three years earlier, but was a 100/1 outsider on the day. Replacing the injured William Shand Kydd, the 24-year-old Pitman, by his own admission, “forgot” about the open ditch guarding the third fence and his mount took a crashing fall, long before the mêlée at the twenty-third fence presented Foinavon with the race.

 

In 1973, Pitman was involved in one of the most famous, and heartbreaking, finishes in Grand National history when Crisp, ridden by Pitman, was caught in the dying strides by Red Rum, ridden by Brian Fletcher, having been 20 lengths ahead jumping Becher’s Brook on the second circuit. “The Black Kangaroo”, as Crisp was affectionately known, was attempting to concede 23lb to Red Rum and, while he may not have won the National, his bold, attacking style won the hearts of the racing public.

 

Pitman made his first television appearance for the BBC at the Grand National in 1976 and remained part of the team thereafter. He was involved in the coverage of the so-called “National that never was” – in which Esha Ness, trained by Jenny Pitman, was first past the post – in 1993 and the bomb scare, which led to the evacuation of Aintree and the only Monday National, in 1997. In 2018, Pitman featured on a panel of experts on an ITV Grand National Special, which included “The Grand National Race of Champions”; in the virtual race, Crisp finished fourth, behind L’Escargot, Red Rum and Hedgehunter.

The Fastest & Slowest Grand National Winner

  • Posted on May 14, 2025
  • /Under Horses

The Fastest & Slowest Grand National Winner It’s uncanny the number of people who remember the fastest winner of the Grand National. Mr Frisk, ridden by Marcus Armytage, in 1990. In fact, a number of anoraks have stated the time 8m 47.8s.

Clearly, speed often wins the day.

It is usually followed by someone saying: ‘The ground was Firm.’

Looking at the race via the Racing Post. The Grand National was very much a different beast back in 1990.

You may be asking: ‘What do you mean?’

Well, on the 7th April 1990, the Aintree Grand National was sponsored by Seagram and detailed as a (Listed race). 4M 4f on Firm ground. 30 fences, just as it is today. However, there were 38 runners (not even extraordinary fast going could dent the enthusiasm). Also, and this must be a reflection of inflation, the win prize money was £70,870,60. When you consider today’s win prize money is £500,000 it shows which direction things have gone in 30+ years.

Amazingly, the race was run in a course record, fast by (22.20s).

Only one other horse has run under nine minutes: 2015 – Many Clouds (trained by Oliver Sherwood) at odds of 25/1 (8m 56.8).

That is a long introduction to consider the antithesis and the slowest ever Aintree Grand National winner.

I guess it pays to have a little bit of context.

Now, you may be able to use some logic to appreciate the slowest winner (which seems like a contradiction in terms). However there is a touch of irony about the slowest winner of the Grand National.

We have to go back to the first ever running in 1839. Lottery, a nine-year-old, ridden by Jem Mason, trained by George Dockery and owned by John Elmore. Lottery returned the 5/1f. This gelding won in a time of 14m 53.0s.

You may be Saying: ‘How could Lottery be so slow when Mr Frisk was so fast?’

It should be remembered that back in the day, the burden of being a talented horse saw Lottery carry a welter weight of 12 stone. In fact, Lottery was the hot favourite in 1839 with one Victorian commentator saying: ‘He could trot faster than most of his rivals could gallop.’

It should be noted in the early years (until 1847) the race was called The Grand Liverpool. All horses carried level weight (12 stone). Also, the race itself was dramatically eventful as can be seen when Lottery competed in the 1840 Grand Liverpool.

In the smallest ever field of 13 runners, the 4/1 second favourite: ‘Lottery reached the Stone Wall in front of the stands in second place but clipped the top of the obstacle, falling amid a flurry of dismantled masonry…’

This was certainly a very different time.

Even in those days there were welfare issues for horse and jockey. The press were very critical of the incident at the wall where many spectators thought Tom Oliver has been killed by his fall when he was carried away to the stands.

Adding to the mayhem, P. Barker, riding 30/1 outsider Weathercock was later discovered unattended in a barn near Seed’s farm where none of the connections of his mount had made inquiries to his state.

As a result, the wall was replaced with a water jump for the next running.

To be fair, these early races sound so traumatic, I’m surprised anyone thought about timing the race!