Fox Norton and God's Own among 13 contenders for Melling Chase glory

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase runner-up Fox Norton and defending champion God's Own headline 13 contenders for the two and a half-mile £200,000 G1 JLT Melling Chase (3.25pm), one of the highlights of Ladies Day at Aintree's Randox Health Grand National Festival on Friday, April 7.

Fox Norton (Colin Tizzard) went down by a head to Special Tiara in the two-mile chasing championship contest at Cheltenham on March 15 and has finished first or second on all four of his appearances so far this season, including when the decisive winner of the G2 Shloer Chase, also at Cheltenham, in November.

God's Own (Tom George), fifth behind Fox Norton in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, scored by two and three-quarter lengths in last season's JLT Melling Chase on the Mildmay Course and followed up his Aintree success with a game victory in the G1 Punchestown Champion Chase later the same month.

Other leading entries include the 2015 Ryanair Chase hero Uxizandre (Alan King), this season's Ryanair Chase runner-up Sub Lieutenant (Henry de Bromhead IRE) and Josses Hill (Nicky Henderson), successful in the G2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in December.

Impressive G2 Peter Marsh Chase scorer Bristol De Mai (Nigel Twiston-Davies) may drop back in trip after coming home seventh in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup over an extended three and a quarter miles, while Kylemore Lough, a G1 winner in Ireland, and Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase fourth Top Gamblecould both line up for trainer Kerry Lee.

Art Mauresque (Paul Nicholls), Aso (Venetia Williams), Devils Bride (Henry de Bromhead IRE), Royal Regatta (Philip Hobbs) and Traffic Fluide (Gary Moore) complete the potential line-up.

The feature race on Ladies Day is the £120,000 G3 Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase (2.05pm) over two miles and five furlongs of the Grand National Course.There are 39 confirmations for the race including Ultima Handicap Chase fifth Go Conquer (10st 1lb, Jonjo O'Neill) and Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase second Gold Present (10st 8lb, Nicky Henderson), who are 9/1 joint-favourites with Betway, official betting partner of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.

Dr Richard Newland saddled Pineau De Re to glory in the 2014 Randox Health Grand National and the Worcestershire handler is seeking another major Aintree success with Seefood (10st 1lb), a 10/1 chance with Betway.

The 10-year-old has already run well over the Grand National fences, having finished second to As De Mee (10st 10lb, Paul Nicholls, 10/1) in the Betfred Grand Sefton Handicap Chase in December, and was sixth in a Doncaster handicap hurdle on his only subsequent appearance on March 4.