Timeform's man on the course David Cleary reflects on the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase victory of Captain Guinness.
It was almost a case of last horse standing in the season's biggest two-mile chase.
With the 2023 winner Energumene on the sidelines, Jonbon a withdrawal due to the poor form of Nicky Henderson's yard and Dinoblue aimed at the Mares' Chase, the way looked clear for El Fabiolo, sent off at 9/2-on.
However, El Fabiolo got only as far as the fifth where he left his hindlegs trailing and was pulled up immediately.
Edwardstone, the second favourite, was still in front into the straight, but was soon headed and on the retreat when he came down two out. With the outsiders Funambule Sivola and Elixir de Nutz out of contention, the race became a match between Captain Guinness and Gentleman de Mee.
Captain Guinness looked in control at the last and though his idling enabled Gentleman de Mee to close, he was ridden out to win by a length and a half. Captain Guinness, no match for Energumene when runner-up last season, is very much a known quantity.
He and Gentleman de Mee had been third and fourth, well behind behind El Fabiolo, in the Dublin Chase last month.
As with yesterday's Champion Hurdle, the understudies have taken their chance of a bit of the limelight, but the form is nothing out of the ordinary for a race of such prestige.
