Tips For The Queen Mother Champion Chase 2023

The feature contest on day two of the Festival is the biggest race of the year for two mile chasers. It is for horses aged five and above and there are thirteen fences to be jumped.

This race has been won by some greats down the years including Moscow Flyer and Sprinter Sacre.

Sixteen of the last twenty-two winners of this race arrived here on the back of a win and twelve of the last twenty winners were previous Festival winners.

Nicky Henderson (6) and Paul Nicholls (5) have won this race eleven times between them since 1992, with Henderson winning five of the last nine renewals.

It pays to avoid older runners in the race as only one of the past forty-two winners was older than ten and you need a horse that has been sparingly campaigned.

Only one of the last sixteen winners had run more than three times that season.

Previous Winners of the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Runners To Watch

Below are selected runners who hold entries for the Queen Mother Champion Chase 2023.

Karl Hedley provides some recent form notes to help point you in the right direction of identifying the winner.

ENERGUMENE – WILLIE MULLINS

A winner of eight of his ten starts over fences, however he was bitterly disappointing when only third to Editeur Du Gite over the course and distance in the Clarence House Chase.

He is prone to the odd error and this year looks to have his work cut out to reverse the form with both Editeur Du Gite and Edwardstone. He has raced outside of his native Ireland three times andtwice it has ended in defeat.

Some Mullins runners just don’t seem to take to the travelling. If this race was run in Ireland, I would have a lot more confidence in him turning the tables but alas it is not. Although he won this last year he needs to take another step forward.

EDWARDSTONE – ALAN KING

He won the Arkle last season and then made a winning seasonal reappearance at Sandown in the Tingle Creek.

The form of that win gets stronger by the day as all other rival’s bar Greanateen and Dunvegan have subsequently come out to win a graded race.

They include Shishkin, Gentleman De Mee and Funambule Sivola. He is no stranger to this track and now back at a Festival, he is likely to have a very big say in the outcome of this race.

EDITEUR DU GITE – GARY MOORE

He has found a new lease of life this season and is unbeaten in his last two starts. The most recent of those came when beating off Edwardstone and Energumene in the Clarence House Chase.

There was no fluke about the win and he cemented his claims for a shot at this with a facile victory. He is a multiple course and distance winner in his own right and if fully freshened up for this by Gary Moore, he is once again a leading player given the inconsistencies with those ahead of him in the market.

NUBE NEGRA – DAN SKELTON

Won the Grade 2 Cheltenham Chase over the course and distance last November but ultimately found Editeur Du Gite too strong in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.

He does have a good record at Cheltenham and ran as well as could be expected in 2021 when beaten only a half-length by Put The Kettle On.

He has had better opportunities against lesser opposition in the past but it would be complete folly to write him off entirely, but others look to be in much better form.

GREANETEEN – PAUL NICHOLLS

Having won on his seasonal reappearance at Exeter in the Haldon Gold Cup, his season has become somewhat disappointing.

He was decimated by Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek and then capitulated all too easily in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. Cheltenham does not appear to suit him having been well beaten here twice in the past and others have far stronger claims.

Ticks The Right Boxes?

2023 Queen Mother Champion Chase Tips & Key Trends

Whilst Energumene ended up being an emphatic winner here last year, he faces the toughest of opposition to date here. He does not travel well and we have seen that in numerous races in the past.

For that reason, Edwardstone looks sure to give a bold account following his recent fine effort behind Editeur Du Gite.

Previous winning festival experience is a useful asset to have and Alan King will have his stable star fit and primed for the occasion.

Key Trends

• 7 of the last 12 previous seasons’ Arkle winners have won this
• 13 of the past 22 winners had won at a previous festival
• 14 of the last 21 winners won last time out

Odds With Paddy Power – correct at time of publication

• 11/8 Edwardstone
• 7/4 Energumene
• 9/2 Editeur Du Gite
• 12/1 Captain Guinness
• 22/1 Nube Negra
• 25/1 Greaneteen
• 50/1 Funambule Sivola