Grey Dawning Outruns Solness in Thrilling Melling Chase Finish

In a dramatic turn of events, Grey Dawning skillfully navigated a shorter distance to outmaneuver Solness in the JCB Melling Chase at Aintree. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Solness took an early lead, moving up from two miles, and was soon followed by Gidleigh Park before asserting dominance down the back straight, gaining a two-length lead. However, Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning, having previously finished fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was gaining momentum and waiting for the perfect moment to challenge. With two fences to go, Harry Skelton guided the 5-1 chance to the front, and over the last fence, Grey Dawning took the lead. Solness refused to back down, resulting in an intense battle with Grey Dawning's stamina ultimately giving him the edge, securing a narrow neck victory. Dan Skelton explained the decision to drop back to two and a half miles, stating, "We were doing well but not quite winning, so we had to try something different. We turned for home in a Gold Cup second and couldn't quite win it, so we had to start boxing clever, and dropping back in trip was the right thing to do." Skelton also noted that the cheekpieces were added as "a little something extra" for the shorter trip. In other news, Azleet has entered 1000 Guineas contention after a surprise 50-1 win in the Nell Gwyn Stakes. Hollie Doyle is hoping to learn more about Derby hope Wareeth in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket. Evan Williams, a trainer, has been jailed for three years for causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Hollie Doyle has listed her flat horses to follow in 2026, including Derby hopefuls and international stars. Kevin Blake reflected on I Am Maximus' Grand National victory and how the race has changed over the years. Today on Sky Sports Racing, Soul Love seeks Prix Sigy success at Chantilly for Karl Burke. Dan Skelton praised the performance of Grey Dawning, saying, "It was our day in the end, and it's a great outcome for a phenomenal owner, Robert Kirkland. He's been through a tough time, and everyone deserves their go sometimes." Jockey J J Slevin was proud of Solness' performance in defeat, saying, "It was a great run; Joseph brought him here in great shape. He's a very good horse on his day." Henry de Bromhead said of the Ryanair Chase winner Heart Wood, who was beaten into third as a 6-5 favorite, "It all just happened a bit quick over a furlong shorter on a sharper track. He's probably always been more of a two-and-a-half to three-miler than a two to two-and-a-half horse, but he stayed on really well." Jo Tizzard was pleased with JPR One in fourth, saying, "He's run another great race but just comes up a bit shy in Grade Ones. He's had a great season, and it's unfair to call him a fun horse because he's better than that." Connections reflected on a hollow victory after Gold Dancer suffered a fatal injury in winning the William Hill Mildmay Novices' Chase. The 100-30 joint-favorite under Paul Townend engaged in a thrilling duel with Regent's Stroll from a long way out. Gold Dancer saw him off from the second fence from home and, despite making a bad mistake at the last, stayed on his feet to score by four and three-quarter lengths. However, upon pulling up, it was clear the winner had suffered a serious injury and could not be saved. "Unfortunately, he broke his back and was put down," said Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary. "It was an unbelievable performance; he jumped brilliantly bar one little mistake. It's a hollow victory now; the poor horse didn't deserve that." Regent's Stroll was a clear second, and his trainer Paul Nicholls said, "That was a good run. They both took each other on a little bit, but there's a lot to look forward to with him. He'll be more the finished article next year, so I'm really chuffed with that."