It was a superb weekend of racing action regarding the outlook of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March. Here is how the market reacted to results at Sandown and Cork…
Saturday, 7th December – Tingle Creek Chase @ Sandown
The result may have been no surprise, but the disdainful manner with which Jonbon repelled his rivals to claim a second successive win in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase (the first since Kauto Star to do so) was imperious. He has now won 11 of his 13 chases, finishing second in the other two.
It is an outstanding record for a horse who has never been mentioned as era-defining. That is potentially because, until Saturday, he and Nico De Boinville were content simply to get the job done, but his eight-length victory over Quilixios was secured in ready fashion, and it could have been wider.
The falls of Master Chewy and Edwardstone left just a couple of stones unturned, but he was rightfully made favourite for the Champion Chase once again. Having been 7/2 beforehand, he usurped Gaelic Warrior at the head of the market, with BetMGM offering a market high of 11/4 about him removing the only blot on his copybook – the absence of a win at the Cheltenham Festival.
Quilixios had made a fine reappearance at Naas last month, but having seen his Champion Chase odds slashed to one quarter of what they were prior to his seasonal return, the bookmakers felt comfortable enough to ease him back out to 33/1 from 25s. Having set only a modest gallop under Jonathan Burke, he lacked the change of gear to go with Jonbon late on.
Despite finishing ten lengths back in third, this was a best in Grade 1 company from JPR One, thus he was shortened to 33/1 with BetMGM from 40s, as was Edwardstone, who took a rare tumble having travelled smoothly with the pace – the veteran is 50/1 from 66s, so still an outsider. Neither the other faller, Master Chewy, nor last-of-four Solness, are available in the Champion Chase betting.
Sunday, 8th December – Hilly Way Chase @ Cork
It is less than a month until Energumene turns 11, but the fire still burns for the two-time Champion Chaser. Despite drifting to 5/4 having been odds-on for most of the build-up to the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork, he ran out an ultimately convincing winner, putting ten lengths between himself and stablemate Dinoblue.
Things may have been different had Banbridge, who was conceding the winner 10lb, not unseated at the last when still challenging, but having been off for well over 18 months, this was a more than satisfactory return for Willie Mullins’ star two-miler, who ultimately found plenty after the last anyway.
A general 10/1 shot prior to this long-awaited reappearance, he halved in price with BetMGM to 5/1, which is his general showing across the board. There could be a lot more to come once again with the run under his belt.
Banbridge was the other big winner from the race. Given the weight concession, he built substantially on a very disappointing return to action by being within a length jumping the final fence. Odds of 33/1 with BetMGM have vanished,replaced by 22s, although he is more ground dependent than most.
The mare Dinbolue was unchanged at 25/1 after her second-placed effort, although she may not have finished in the places if both Banbridge and Ferny Hollow remained upright. However, she carried a Grade 1 penalty herself, meaning she was giving Energumene 3lb which may explain the calmness of her Champion Chase ante-post odds. Despite looking as though he would stay on for a respectable finish, Ferny Hollow’s tumble saw him double in price from 20s to 40/1; he has always been a tricky customer to train.
Both Appreciate It and Blue Lord, who helped Mullins to a 1-2-3-4 in the race, are unavailable in the Champion Chase markets. Likewise, rank outsider The Banger Doyle, who finished fifth, is nowhere to be seen, though Hunters Yarn, a second season chaser for Mullins who was last of six finishers here, remains a 100/1 shot having not displayed any visible improvement from his novice season.
Elsewhere
There is no mention yet of Djelo in the Champion Chase betting after Venetia Williams’ charge romped to glory in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon over the weekend. It will be interesting to see if there is a change in that respect soon, though third-placed Ginny’s Destiny drifted to 80/1 from 50s, as Paul Nicholls’ charge continues to struggle in the early stages of his second season over fences.
Champion Chase Ante-Post Movers
Jonbon ↑ 11/4 from 7/2
Energumene ↑ 5/1 from 10/1
Banbridge ↑ 22/1 from 33/1
JPR One ↑ 33/1 from 40/1
Edwardstone ↑ 50/1 from 66/1
Dinoblue → 25/1
Hunters Yarn → 100/1
Quilixios ↓ 33/1 from 25/1
Ferny Hollow ↓ 40/1 from 20/1
Ginny’s Destiny ↓ 80/1 from 50/1
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