The Dublin Racing Festival produced some pulsating racing over the weekend. One of the big Cheltenham Festival markets impacted was that of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, as we review the big odds movers in our latest Road to the Champion Chase below.
Sunday, 2nd February – Dublin Chase @ Leopardstown
Once may be an accident, but twice now looks no fluke for Solness, who claimed back-to-back Leopardstown Grade 1s in scintillating style on Sunday at the DRF.
Joseph O’Brien’s seven-year-old held off his rivals from the front at Christmas, but put in an altogether different front-running display here. Danny Mullins took him into a clear lead from an early stage, but just as it looked as if runner-up Marine Nationale was to have his measure, it was revealed that Mullins had saved just enough to kick on once again for a two-length success.
Odds of 20/1 beforehand were slashed as BetMGM cut him to 9/1 for the Wednesday feature. His trainer has already said that Solness will attempt to make all in similar fashion come Cheltenham.
Marine Nationale also shortened, but is a point bigger than Solness at 10/1 for the Champion Chase. His trainer is also typically bullish about his hopes after he was cut from 14/1 pre-race.
This was another in a long list of Leopardstown disappointments for Gaelic Warrior in third. The reigning Arkle hero never got involved having been taken off his feet, though he improved immeasurably at Cheltenham last season. Willie Mullins’ star doubled in price with BetMGM from 5/2 to 5/1.
The fall of El Fabiolo may have extinguished some of the potential drama. The eight-year-old has always been prone to a jumping lapse, but this was his first career tumble and an untimely one on his return. He drifted from 6/1 to 10/1 with him now having little prep for the Festival. Quilixios, on the other hand, has had plenty of match practice, though the eight-year-old could not live with the furious gallop. He can now be backed at 33/1 from 25s.
The defending Champion Chaser, Captain Guinness, was well-held in sixth and is 33/1 from 20s for an unlikely repeat success. Gentleman De Mee could not catch him up the Cheltenham Hill a year ago, but was narrowly in front of Henry De Bromhead’s charge here. The former Dublin Chase hero is 50/1 from 33s for the Champion Chase while the pulled-up Senecia remains a rank 200/1 outsider.
Elsewhere
Perhaps the most dramatic effect of the Dublin Chase on the Champion Chase ante-post market was that Jonbon is now odds-on to gain an overdue first Cheltenham Festival success. Nicky Henderson’s brother of Douvan would have been watching gleefully from his box as his nearest betting rivals faltered, having prepped himself with a comfortable win in Ascot’s Grade 1 Clarence House Chase. He is now 4/5 from 11/10.
Energumene was the primary rival he defeated that day, but the two-time Champion Chaser was another slight mover in the market. Due to his stablemates’ misdemeanours, he is now 7/1 from 8/1 with BetMGM, though jockey bookings closer to the time may dictate plenty.
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With such a strong Irish contingent in the Cheltenham Gold Cup entries Saturday’s Irish Gold Cup was always going to have a notable effect on the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup betting, but yet again the cream rose to the top again as Galopin Des Champs claimed a third Leopardstown crown and cemented his place as…
Mon 03 Feb 2025Champion Chase Ante-Post Movers
Jonbon ↑ 4/5 from 11/10
Solness ↑ 9/1 from 20/1
Energumene ↑ 7/1 from 8/1
Gaelic Warrior ↓ 5/1 from 5/2
El Fabiolo ↓ 10/1 from 6/1
Captain Guinness ↓ 33/1 from 20/1
Quilixios ↓ 33/1 from 25/1
Gentleman De Mee ↓ 50/1 from 33/1
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