Vintage Martell Cognac Melling Chase heads Superb Aintree Five-Day Entries

Friday´s Grade 1 Martell Cognac Melling Chase at Aintree is set to be one of the races of the season following Saturday´s publication of the five-day entries for the first two days of the Martell Cognac Grand National meeting.

Native Upmanship will bid for a historic third successive victory in the 2m 4f contest, in which his opponents could include Moscow Flyer, bidding to make amends after falling in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the rapidly-improving Isio, who has been targetted at this race for some time, as has the Henry Daly-trained Hand Inn Hand, a Grade 1 winner at Ascot earlier in the year. Flagship Uberalles, Tiutchev and Cenkos - who finished second, third and fourth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase - are others in a glittering entry.

Further Aintree highlights includes Thursday´s Grade 1 Martell Cognac Cup, in which Sir Rembrandt and Harbour Pilot - respectively second and third in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup - could reoppose with other entries including the Gold Cup fifth First Gold, winner of the Martell Cognac Cup in 2001 and 2003, the 2003 Gold Cup fourth Valley Henry and this year´s Royal & SunAlliance Chase runner-up Royal Emperor.

Trainer Robert Alner today reported Sir Rembrandt bang on course for the race. 'I rode him out myself this morning and he is in great shape,' said Alner. 'I was thrilled with how he ran at Cheltenham and he has come out of the race very well.

'He will definitely go to Aintree as long as the ground is no firmer than good, good-to-soft would be even better. Obviously it´s a different course and a different race from Cheltenham and I haven´t really looked at the opposition yet but we´re hopeful of another good run.'

The meeting begins on a high on Thursday with the Martell Cognac Laurel Pub Company Liverpool Hurdle in which the bonusprint.com Stayers´ Hurdle hero Iris´s Gift is entered alongside Royal Rosa, Sh Boom, who was travelling well when falling at Cheltenham, Crystal D´Ainay, who finished third in the race, and 2004 Coral Cup winner Monkerhostin.

The first six home in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, headed by the winner Made In Japan, are all entered in the Unwins Wine Group Anniversary 4YO Novices´ Hurdle while the Martell Cognac Fox Hunters´ Chase field could feature impressive Haydock hunter chase winner Gun ´n Roses II, Never Compromise, who finished second in Cheltenham´s Christie´s Foxhunter´s Chase, and four entries from Paul Nicholls, including Friday´s Newbury winner Silence Reigns.

The Grand Annual Chase winner St Pirran is engaged in the Martell Cognac Red Rum Handicap Chase while Rhinestone Cowboy is among 49 entries in the Martell Cognac Beefeater Restaurants Handicap Hurdle.

The Thursday card finishes on a high with the Martell Cognac Makro Novices´ Hurdle in which Fundamentalist and Inglis Drever, the first two home in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle at Cheltenham, are entered as are Royal Rosa and the Nicky Henderson-trained Back To Ben Alder.

Merchant´s Friend, who was just caught out by Maximize in the four-mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, could bid for compensation in Friday´s opening Martell Cognac Ember Inns Handicap Chase while the Premier Convenience Stores Top Novice Hurdle features the likes of Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices´ Hurdle third Fleet Street and Sunderlands Imperial Cup second Bold Bishop.

There are no less than 52 entries in the Martell Cognac Topham Chase over the National fences with Joly Bey, owned by his amateur rider David Dunsdon, one of those that has been long targetted at this prestigious prize. Cyfor Malta, who won the race in 1998 as a five-year-old, and the Tim Easterby-trained Turgeonev will head the weights if taking up their entries.

The Martell Cognac Sefton Novices´ Hurdle line-up could include Best Mate´s exciting full-brother Cornish Rebel, winner of the Grade 1 Challow Novices´ Hurdle, and the improving Accipiter while Fundamentalist and the only horse to have beaten him, Royal Rosa, have also been entered.

The superb action continues with the Martell Cognac Sainsbury´s Mildmay Novices´ Chase in which the Royal & SunAlliance Chase first and second, Rule Supreme and Royal Emperor - whose rider Dominic Elsworth lost his whip at Cheltenham - are engaged along with the Cathcart Chase winner Our Armageddon and three-time novice chase winner D´Argent.

Friday´s ´getting out stakes´, the Martell Cognac Somerfield Handicap Hurdle, promises to be an ultra-competitive affair with 61 five-day entries including 50/1 Pertemps Final winner Creon and Rhinestone Cowboy.

Charles Barnett, Aintree´s Managing Director, said today: 'We are absolutely delighted with the five-day entries for the opening two days of the Martell Cognac Grand National meeting. With so many superb contests in prospect it is hard to single out any race but Friday´s Martell Cognac Melling Chase promises to be an unmissable event as Native Upmanship bids for a third successive success against some formidable opposition.'