15:30 Cheltenham

Wednesday 13 March 2024

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:5017:30

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

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 4m 10.91s

Captain Guinness³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 162| BF| D

17/2

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

Form: 222-1P3

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Edwardstone³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 166| BF| CD

15/2

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.

Form: 25-2241

El Fabiolo³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 175| CD

2/9

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.

Form: 1111-11

Elixir De Nutz^p,t⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Freddie Gingell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 161| CD

40/1

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.

Form: 2-51131

Funambule Sivola³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 144| BF| D

100/1

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.

Form: 5-66362

Gentleman De Mee^h,t³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 164| D

16/1

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.

Form: 4614-24

Non-Runners

Boothill³²

Weight: 11-10| Age: 9

T: H Fry J: J J Burke

Jonbon⁴⁶

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

Forecasts

El Fabiolo (2/9), Jonbon (7/2), Edwardstone (15/2), Captain Guinness (17/2), Gentleman De Mee (16/1), Elixir De Nutz (40/1), Boothill (50/1), Funambule Sivola (100/1)

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.