The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade One National Hunt steeplechase open to horses five years or older. It is run over two miles and the participants are invited to jump thirteen fences.
When it comes to the statistics, Nicky Henderson is the trainer you want to follow in this race usually. He has won four of the last ten renewals of this race including twice with Altior (2019 & 2018) and Sprinter Sacre (2016 & 2013).
Three of the last six renewals have gone to an Irish raider upping their game at this discipline. Older horses between the ages of eight and ten tend to do well in this. All previous winners had experienced a previous run at Cheltenham and each of the last ten winners had won at least five previous chases.
10:46
Captain Guinness
Henry De Bromhead’s 8-year-old has 16lb to find on official ratings and looks out of his depth here. Ridden by Rachael Blackmore he was a grade 2 winner at Navan last November and chased home Blue Lord at Leopardstown over Christmas. Place chance at best.
Editeur Du Gite
Great record at Cheltenham winning three of his five starts and arrives in a rich vein of form having won the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas prior to beating two of today’s rivals in Edwardstone and Energumene over course in distance in the Clarence House Chase in January. He loves to bowl along in front and those tactics will no doubt be employed here by Niall Houlihan for trainer Gary Moore. Will be dangerous if allowed a soft lead.
Edwardstone
Alan King’s big hope of a winner at the meeting. Top novice chaser last season winning the Arkle Chase at last year’s meeting. Impressed on his re-appearance when winning the Tingle Creek at Sandown by 9L from Greaneteen. Was headed in the final strides by Editeur Du Gite last time over course and distance and must be a major player here under his regular pilot Tim Cannon.
Energumene
A consistent two-mile chaser who won this last year and looks like the most likely winner in my eyes. Trained at Closutton by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend he’s won 10 of his 13 runs under rules and can surely be forgiven his latest run behind Editeur Du Gite and Edwardstone when beaten just under 7L. His trainer stated afterwards that the horse was struggling with the painted white take offs which they don’t have in Ireland! A strange excuse but we can always excuse a horse a poor run and he can bounce back here.
Funambule Sivola
Was a 40/1 runner-up to Energumene in this last year beaten 8 1/2L. Venetia Williams’ charge bounced back to form when winning the 4-runner Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month but will need a career best to get amongst the leaders today. Charlie Deutsch rides
Greaneteen
Smart two chaser on his day trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden. 9L behind Edwardstone in Tingle Creek and turned over at odds on in Game Spirit behind Funambule Sivola last time. Best on good ground and today’s testing ground unlike to suit
Nube Negra
Useful on his day but was pulled out on the morning of this race last year due to soft ground and conditions look unlikely to suit here. Trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother Harry he was 17L behind Editeur Du Gite at Kempton over Christmas and is hard to fancy on this ground.
Summary
Not the best renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase which revolves around the front three. They all met over course and distance in January where Editeur Du Gite came out best. It’s maybe a different story today with the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene fancied to bounce back to form and beat his two old advisory’s and follow up last year’s victory under Paul Townend.
1 Energumene @ 6/4 with William Hill
2 Edwardstone @ 15/8 with Unibet
3 Editeur Du Gite @ 13/2 with Bet365
All odds correct at time of writing.
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