Timeform highlight the key trends to keep in mind for the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Champion Chase
15:30 Cheltenham, Wednesday
As with most championship contests, class is key.
The last ten winners of the Champion Chase had won a Grade 1 over fences, while nine of the last ten had a Timeform weight-adjusted rating of at least 175. This is bad news for Nube Negra, who has yet to win a Grade 1, while Envoi Allen and Politologue are rated lower than your typical winner.
Politologue, of course, won the 2020 Champion Chase, but the 11-year-old is rated slightly lower nowadays and this looks like an especially strong edition of the race.
Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings suggest this race is likely to concern Shishkin (192+), Energumene (191) and Chacun Pour Soi (190) as they are well clear of the next best (Nube Negra - 178).
Shishkin, who narrowly got the better of Energumene in an epic edition of the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January, meets all the criteria.
Energumene has weaker claims on trends as he didn't win last time out, hasn't won or placed at the Festival and hasn't won when trading at twice his starting price in-running. Chacun Pour Soi, who like Energumene is a strong traveller, has also failed to win when trading at twice his starting price in-running.
That in-running stat suggests that the ability to find extra under pressure is important - hardly surprising given the stiff nature of the finish at Cheltenham.
Last year's Champion Chase winner Put The Kettle On meets five of the seven criteria, though she arrives here with something to prove after a couple of disappointing displays this term.
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