The Champion Chase proved a stumbling block for punters last year with El Fabiolo making a bad error early on before being pulled up.
There is a short priced favourite again this year but somewhat surprisingly not from the Mullins yard. Jonbon looks set to take his chance this time but his record at the Festival is hardly convincing 0/2. In fact all 3 of his defeats have come at Cheltenham, would that be enough to put you off?
My quick picks for the Champion Chase
- Gaelic Warrior – 6/1 with Betfred
- Energumene – 10/1 with Sky Bet
Cheltenham 4.00 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase – Key stats and trends
Age
- 11 of the last 12 winners were aged between 7 and 9
- 2 of the last 3 winners were aged 7
Price
- 5 of the last 12 winners were favourites
- 11 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting
- 2 of the last 3 favourites have failed to finish (both pulled up)
Form
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win in a Grade 1
- 6 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Champion Chase
- 9 of the last 12 winners ran within the last 53 days
- 7 of the last 12 winners had a previous win at Cheltenham
Rating
- 10 of the last 12 winners were rated 162 or higher
- 2 of the last 3 winners were aged 175
Other pointers
- 7 of the last 14 Arkle Chase winners from the previous season to have run have won
- 11 of the last 16 favourites were sent off at odds-on but only 3 won
Champion Chase preview & tips
It is hard to knock Jonbon on what we’ve seen this season but I have witnessed far too many favourites turned over in the Champion Chase to go steaming in on him at odds-on here.
He missed the Festival last season due to the yard being under a cloud but he ran in the Arkle the year before where he found El Fabiolo too strong and the year before that he was put firmly in his place by stablemate Constitution Hill in the Supreme. A record of 0/2 at the Festival is worrying and all 3 of his defeats have come at this track as well.
I know GAELIC WARRIOR didn’t show a great deal at the DRF last time but I can’t get his Arkle win last year out my head. He was really impressive and if they go hard it could play into his hands. I’m hoping Paul Townend chooses him over Energumene as if he does I can see him going off half the price.
Each way angle?
With Jonbon so short in the betting it might be worth throwing a couple of darts at the race. ENERGUMENE won this in 2022 and 2023 and while Jonbon put him in his place at Ascot the latter did have plenty in favour on that occasion.
This track will suit much better and if he gets softer ground as well it could make it a much more level playing field. With the jockey booking still up in the air I’m keen to cover both Mullins runners at decent prices.
Of the rest, Marine Nationale could have a good chance of reversing form with Solness but for me he will need to jump a great deal better if he is to win a Champion Chase.
My picks:
- GAELIC WARRIOR
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Form: 2-11121-11U12-23
- Age: 7
- Weight: 11-10
Bet on Gaelic Warrior to win the Champion Chase at 6/1 with Betfred
- ENERGUMENE
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Form: 311-1111-1211-1311-12
- Age: 7
- Weight: 11-0
Bet on Energumene to win the Champion Chase at 10/1 with Sky Bet
Last 12 winners of the Champion Chase
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre | Nicky Henderson | Barry Geraghty |
| 2014 | Sire De Grugy | Gary Moore | Jamie Moore |
| 2015 | Dodging Bullets | Paul Nicholls | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2016 | Sprinter Sacre | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2017 | Special Tiara | Henry de Bromhead | Noel Fehily |
| 2018 | Altior | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2019 | Altior | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2020 | Politologue | Paul Nicholls | Harry Skelton |
| 2021 | Put The Kettle On | Henry de Bromhead | Aidan Coleman |
| 2022 | Energumene | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2023 | Energumene | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2024 | Captain Guinness | Henry de Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
More Cheltenham opportunities:
About the author
Joe Norris
I’m Joe Norris, co-founder and Director of GetYourTipsOut (GYTO), which I launched in 2009 to provide daily sports betting tips, with the main focus on horse racing. Over the years, I’ve earned a reputation for offering reliable and profitable tips, which led to being named “Best Sports Betting Tipster” in 2023. Alongside my work at GYTO, I also contribute predictions to platforms like Oddschecker, allowing me to share my insights with a wide community of sports enthusiasts and bettors.
Find Joe on X: @JoeNorrisGYTO
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