Heart Wood aims to cap a fine season by following up his emphatic Ryanair Chase victory at the Cheltenham Festival in the JCB Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

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 1 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.”

Supporting card

After falling agonisingly short at the Cheltenham Festival, Sober Glory will try to end his season in the spotlight when bidding for compensation in the ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices’ Hurdle earlier in the day.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, the six-year-old had Supreme Novices’ Hurdle glory within his grasp before a final flight blunder handed the advantage to eventual winner Old Park Star.

He plugged on bravely for second, but with Nicky Henderson’s winner, nor the third Mydaddypaddy in action on Merseyside, hopes are high he can atone for that near-miss and head for his summer break with a top-level success secured.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham really well and I couldn’t be happier with him,” said White. “After his run in the Supreme you would say he deserves to round off his year with a big win, but that doesn’t guarantee you get it.

“The first and third from Cheltenham don’t run which helps our cause and he goes there with every chance. He’ll be a short price, but deservedly so and I think he deserves to be classed as the one to beat.

“He’s done nothing wrong other than that one run at Sandown which we try to forget about, but people keep reminding us of. He’s always done us proud, he’s looking great and he’s taking the training this year very well.

“We’re really looking forward to this but more importantly we know we could have even bigger days next season.”

Back in fourth in the Cheltenham Festival curtain-raiser was Alan King’s Baron Noir, who could prove to be Sober Glory’s main danger among a field of six lacking the usual presence from the powerhouse yards from Ireland.

Baron Noir is owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate, and Fehily said: “He ran an absolute blinder in the Supreme and it was his first time running at that sort of level. It was the most competitive race he will have run in and he ran a stormer.

“We’ve rated the horse all season, but I’m so glad he went and ran that sort of race at Cheltenham and backed up his Punchestown bumper form over El Cairos.

“I think he’s a proper horse who can hopefully step forward again. He’s a big lad and I think there is no reason why he can’t improve now that he’s raced at that level.

“We’re happy to roll the dice again and looking forward to running him.”

Cheltenham winner returns

There is further Grade 1 action for novice hurdlers in the Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, where Jamie Snowden’s Johnny’s Jury will be a warm order to follow up his Cheltenham Festival win in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Victory would also give his handler back-to-back victories in this particular race having won at the highest level for the first time with Julius Des Pictons 12 months ago.

Fourth to Johnny’s Jury at Prestbury Park was Ben Pauling’s Mondoui’boy and the handler is predicting a bold bid with further experience now banked.

He said: “I think he’ll be very dangerous in a Sefton. He’s in very good order and came out of Cheltenham in fabulous form, he looks a million dollars.

“If Cheltenham hasn’t left its mark I’d be expecting him to go very close. I have very high hopes for this horse and I think he could be exceptional. If he’s in the form he went to Cheltenham in then hopefully he’ll put up a very good show.”

Also expecting to be in the mix is Joe Tizzard with his Cheltenham sixth Kripticjim.

“He ran a super race in the Albert Bartlett. He needs to improve a bit to win on Saturday, but he’s not a million miles away,” explained Tizzard.

“If he runs a race like he did at Cheltenham we’ll be delighted and we’re looking forward to running him over fences next year.”

Dan Skelton’s Dalston Lad will seek a four-timer stepping up to Grade 1 company, while Paul Nicholls will saddle both Challow Hurdle hero No Drama This End and the unexposed Talk To The Man, with Sam Twiston-Davies getting a first sit on the former ahead of playing a more central role at Ditcheat next season.