Who Will Win the Champion Chase?

Day two of the mighty Cheltenham Festival is lit up by the best two-mile chase of the racing year, as a field of the most talented jumpers in the game line up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The list of previous winners of this cracking contest reads like a who's who of racing greats, with the likes of Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Altior, and, of course, the unforgettable Sprinter Sacre all featuring on the roll of honour.

The prize headed back to Ireland in 2022 as the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene conquered all. Will it be more of the same this year? Or will one of the British contenders wrest the title back for the home team>

Here we take a look at the race from a trends perspective using data presented by Newbettingsites.uk, highlighting the runners most likely to etch their name into the history books.

Age of Winner

Not too young and not too old seems the way to go in this event, with just under 89% of all winners falling into the 7-10 age bracket. It is the eight-year-olds who boast the best record overall, a stat that augers well for Blue Lord, Captain Guinness, Coeur Sublime, and Funambule Sivola in this year's field. The eleven-year-old Chacun Pour Soi – who has already had a couple of cracks at this – may be up against it.

Nicholls has the Knack for Success

We have a three-way tie in the all-time trainer’s list, with Tom Dreaper, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls sitting on six wins apiece. Dreaper registered his wins back in the 1960s, and Nicky Henderson, a little surprisingly, doesn't hold an entry this year. However, Paul Nicholls does look set to be represented – albeit by one of the rank outsiders of the field in Greaneteen who ran a solid race to finish fourth in 2021.

Of the other trainers in the 2023 line-up, Alan King, Gary Moore, and Willie Mullins all have one win to their name. King saddles the well-fancied Edwardstone, Moore goes with the rapidly improving Editeur Du Gite, and Mullins has Blue Lord, Chacun Pour Soi, Gentlemen Du Mee, and defending champ, Energumene entered at this stage.

Henry Du Bromhead meanwhile took this prize in 2011, 2017, and 2021, and has a couple of lively outsiders in the shape of Captain Guinness and Couer Sublime.

Previous Festival Experience a Plus

Looking at the results over the past ten years, whilst Sire Du Grugy and Energumene did manage to win on their first festival appearances, the other eight winners had at least some previous Festival form, with five of those eight having previously won at the meeting.

All eleven runners in this field boast at least one previous festival outing, with the pick of the efforts coming from Energumene, who won this race in 2022 and Edwardstone, who came out on top in the Arkle here 12 months ago. Funambule Sivola, Chacun Poir Soi, and Nube Negra have all finished placed in the Champion Chase in the past – Nube Negra coming closest when beaten just half a length into second in 2021.

Summary: Stone the one to Beat

We look to have an intriguing race in store this year, with the top three in the betting having clashed in the Clarence House Chase over this course and distance last time out. Editeur Du Gite just mastered Edwardstone that day, with Energumene putting in a disappointing effort back in third. There is a lot to like about Editeur Du Gite and he certainly won't go down without a fight. However, it is Edwardstone who rates the most likely winner in our eyes and the best bet in the race at 7/4 with LiveScoreBet. Five of the past ten editions of this have fallen to a previous Arkle winner, and the Alan King star took that event in great style twelve months ago. With Editeur Du Gite unlikely to get as soft a lead as he did in the Clarence House Chase, we like Edwardstone's chances of getting on top late.

Of those available at an each-way price, Nube Negra and Funambule Sivola are worth a look, given their previous solid efforts in the race. However, we wouldn't be surprised should Gentleman De Mee emerge as the biggest threat. The Willie Mullins runner isn't the most consistent, but will surely be primed and ready for this, and did beat Edwardstone in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree last year. The 8/1 on offer with LiveScoreBet represents decent each-way value.

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