JONJO O’NEILL believes with the sun on his back Albertas Run can shine again and land back-to-back victories in the John Smith’s Melling Chase on Ladies Day at Aintree this afternoon.

The 10-year-old completed the Ryanair Chase-Melling Chase double 12 months ago. And despite another disappointing first-half of the season, he set up another double chance with victory in the Cheltenham Grade One for the second successive year.

Now the Trevor Hemmings-owned gelding will also look to repeat last year’s victory in the Aintree Grade One contest over 2m4f.

And trainer O’Neill thinks he come alive in the spring and will have a big chance of winning again. He said: “It was brilliant to see him win the Ryanair again and it was brilliant for Trevor Hemmings (owner) to be there to see it, as he wasn’t last year.

“Let’s hope he can repeat it at Aintree, but it’s not going to be easy.

“He’s in good form and good shape and unless he meets a better one he’ll take all the beating.

“He loves the good ground and the sunshine on his back. Hopefully we’re there with every chance.”

But Albertas Run will have to beat Kalahari King again. Ferdy Murphy’s 10-year-old

Was only a length behind him at Cheltenham. And although he fell in last year’s Melling Chase, he did land the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase in 2009.

And Murphy is hopeful he can reverse the placings from Cheltenham.

He said: “He’s very well and he’s won at Aintree before.”