Last year's winner Politologue will renew rivalries with runner-up Min in the JLT Melling Chase on Ladies Day at the 2019 Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse .
The Paul Nicholls-trained Politologue just beat Willie Mullins' Min by a neck in last season's 2m4f contest and both are among seven entries for Friday's Grade One feature on Merseyside.
Politologue is the likely favourite to become the first horse since Voy Por Ustedes in 2008-09 to land back-to-back victories. And he appears in fine form having given Altior a fight when runner-up to the record-equalling Nicky Henderson star in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival .
Min disappointed in the Grade One feature at Prestbury Park and eventually finished fifth.
In opposition to the big two, Ruth Jefferson's stable star Waiting Patiently is looking to get back to winning ways after being blown away by the Nicholls-trained Cyrname as he looked for a second success in the Ascot Chase in February.
Harry Fry's Hell's Kitchen, who finished fourth in the Champion Chase, is also set to line-up.
Another previous Melling Chase winner, Tom George's God's Own, will run in the 2m4f contest for a third time looking to repeat his 2016 victory.
The small but select field is completed by Nicky Henderson's Top Notch and Woodland Opera from Jessica Harrington's stable.
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On the eve of the Grand National Festival the going at Aintree changed this morning to: Grand National course: good to soft (from good to soft, soft in places Canal Side) Mildmay & Hurdle courses: good to soft, good in places (from good to soft)
Speaking today at 9.30am, Aintree's clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch reported: "We had two millimetres of rain overnight and it is just looking a bit showery going forward.
"It is drizzling away and we have just dried out fractionally from yesterday. It is looking like we are going to continue having some showers today and there is also the chance of some showers tomorrow. There are bands of rain around and we just have to wait and see what they bring.
"Friday and Saturday are predicted to be drier, but temperatures will remain quite cool.
"As always, we will continue to monitor the situation regarding watering. The temperatures are set to remain pretty cool which we will help and we just have to wait and see how much rain we get."
