15:05 Cheltenham

Wednesday 17 March 2021

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:07 | Winning time: 3m 57.09s

Chacun Pour Soi³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 173| D

8/13

Top-class chaser who made it 3-3 this term with impressive display in Dublin Chase (2/5) at Leopardstown last month. Late defector in last year's Champion Chase and set to make amends now.

Form: 121-111

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Cilaos Emery^h¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 165| BF| D

12/1

Top-class chaser who got right back on track when easily making all in Grade 3 at Naas last month. Has something to find with his stablemate Chacun Pour Soi but he's no forlorn hope.

Form: 1F14-21

First Flow⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 166| D

11/1

Has progressed into a top-class chaser, given attacking ride when making it 6 wins in a row with ready 7l success over Politologue in Clarence House at Ascot. This demands more but still respected.

Form: 111-111

Greaneteen²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 161| D

50/1

Stylish winner of Exeter's Haldon Gold Cup and has raised his game further when placed in Tingle Creek and Game Spirit. Strong pace will suit this keen-going sort. Lively outsider.

Form: 114-123

Notebook^t³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 162| D

22/1

Top-class chaser. Wide-margin winner at Naas and good placed efforts, though no match for Chacun Pour Soi, in Grade 1s at Leopardstown both runs since. Bold-jumping front-runner. Should be in the mix.

Form: 116-123

Nube Negra^t⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 165| D

11/1

Announced himself a high-class chaser when 20/1-winner of Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton in December by 3½ lengths from below-par Altior. Another chunk of improvement needed to follow up here, though.

Form: 6/1122-1

Rouge Vif^t⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 163| CD

20/1

Smart chaser who readily landed handicap over C&D in October. Good third in the Tingle Creek after but well held behind Nube Negra in Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton. This is a very tough ask.

Form: 213-134

Sceau Royal²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: A King| OR: 163| CD

16/1

Very smart hurdler/chaser who arrives on the back of Game Spirit win at Newbury by 2l from Champ. Has come up short in the last 2 runnings of this, though, and it'll likely be the same again.

Form: 1124F1

Put The Kettle On⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Aidan Coleman| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 156| CD

17/2

Arkle winner. Returned with third C&D victory in Shloer Chase and good third to Chacun Pour Soi in Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. Likeable front-runner who goes well here.

Form: 1211-13

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

Politologue⁵³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 10

T: P F Nicholls J: Harry Cobden

Forecasts

Chacun Pour Soi (8/13), Politologue (8/1), Put The Kettle On (17/2), Nube Negra (11/1), First Flow (11/1), Cilaos Emery (12/1), Sceau Royal (16/1), Rouge Vif (20/1), Notebook (22/1), Greaneteen (50/1)

CHACUN POUR SOI has produced a couple of outstanding displays in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown this winter and he'll surely be too good if showing up in anything like the same form. Notebook has found the selection much too strong on his last 2 starts but he is undoubtedly a high-class chaser and represents a bit of value to hit the forecast spot ahead of last year's winner Politologue.