Champion Chase tips and runners guide to Cheltenham 3.30
El Fabiolo faces seven rivals including familiar foe Jonbon in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the feature race on the second day of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
It is one-all between the pair after Willie Mullins’ runner avenged a narrow defeat in the 2022 Top Novices’ Hurdle with a classy victory in last year’s Arkle over course and distance.
The Arkle/Champion Chase double in successive seasons has been achieved by six horses in the 21st century and El Fabiolo is the odds-on favourite with Paddy Power to become the seventh.
Jonbon also has to reverse the form with ElixirDeNutz, who took advantage of the former’s shocking round of jumping to land the rearranged Clarence House Chase on the New Course at Cheltenham in January.
Edwardstone could continue with the aggressive tactics that prove fruitful in last month’s Game Spirit Chase, Captain Guinness finished second in last year’s renewal, while Gentleman De Mee is a dual Grade 1 winner. Boothill and 2022 runner-up FunambuleSivola complete the field for Wednesday’s 15:30.
The latest Champion Chase odds are on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise Timeform’s guide to the runners as well as betting tips from the racing boffins can be found below.
Champion Chase verdict
Timeform: EL FABIOLO was edged out by Jonbon in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree a couple of years ago but he saw off Nicky Henderson’s charge by 5½ lengths in last season’s Arkle and can make it 2-1 in his favour in their head-to-head rivalry. Edwardstone looked back to his best at Newbury and can take third.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Champion Chase runners and riders
The following horses have been declared for the Champion Chase 2024.
Boothill
Trainer: Harry Fry Jockey: Jonathan Burke Age: 9 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Grade 2 novice chase winner last season. Improved again to land valuable back-to-back Ascot handicaps around 2m in November but has hit the deck on his 2 outing since (10 lengths behind Edwardstone when falling 2 out at Newbury latterly).
**
Captain Guinness
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead Jockey: Rachael Blackmore Age: 9 Weight: 11st 10lbs
High-class chaser who made a winning reappearance at Navan in November. Ran abysmally in Leopardstown Grade 1 over Christmas but back on track when 14½ lengths third to El Fabiolo there latest. Surely playing for place money at best, though.
**
Edwardstone
Trainer: Alan King Jockey: Tom Cannon Age: 10 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Winner of the Arkle at 2022 Festival. Found Jonbon too strong on his first 2 outings this term but looked back to his top-class best under a change of tactics (often held up) when easily making all in the Game Spirit at Newbury (2m, soft) last month.
***
El Fabiolo
Trainer: W. P. Mullins Jockey: P. Townend Age: 7 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Beat Jonbon in last year’s Arkle and took his chase record to a perfect 6-6 with an easy 8½-length defeat of Dinoblue at Leopardstown last month. Very hard to beat again for yard seeking a hat-trick of wins in this.
*****
Elixir De Nutz
Trainer: Joe Tizzard Jockey: Freddie Gingell Age: 10 Weight: 11st 10lbs
This 10-y-o has been better than ever this season, winning 3 times, notably a neck defeat of Jonbon in the rearranged Clarence House here (17f, good to soft) at the end of January. Jonbon all but came down 4 out though, so he’ll do well to confirm the placings.
***
Funambule Sivola
Trainer: Venetia Williams Jockey: Charlie Deutsch Age: 9 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Dual Game Spirit winner (also runner-up in this in 2022) but well below par since falling in this race 12 months ago, finishing a distant second to Edwardstone in this season’s Game Spirit.
*
Gentleman De Mee
Trainer: W. P. Mullins Jockey: M. P. Walsh Age: 8 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Won a 2m Grade 1 at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival but 16¼ lengths behind El Fabiolo when fourth in this season’s renewal of that race. No reason why he’ll get much closer to his stablemate here.
**
Jonbon
Trainer: Nicky Henderson Jockey: Nico de Boinville Age: 8 Weight: 11st 10lbs
Grade 1 winning hurdler and a top-class chaser, with his only defeat in his first 8 starts over fences coming at the hands of El Fabiolo in last year’s Arkle. A shocking mistake 4 out provides an excuse when beaten by Elixir de Nutz here on Trials day. The obvious threat to El Fabiolo.
