All eyes will be on Jonbon at 4pm on Wednesday 12th March, as the Nicky Henderson-trained star bids for a first Cheltenham Festival success in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Seven Barrows inmate has been the dominant two-miler this season, but has failed to get his head in front at this meeting before, and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers is taking him on with a value alternative.
JONBON
(Nico De Boinville/Nicky Henderson)
Second in the 2022 Supreme behind Constitution Hill, Jonbon then chased home El Fabiolo in the 2023 Arkle to pick up another Cheltenham Festival silver medal. Having missed the meeting last year, Nicky Henderson’s star is aiming to finally get his name in lights and he’s a red-hot favourite to deliver the goods. Dominant away from the undulations of Prestbury Park, the JP McManus-owned star has cruised to Grade 1 wins in the Tingle Creek and Clarence House Chase on his last starts, while he beat a pretty mediocre field in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham prior to that.
Undoubtedly, he’s the best horse in the race on all form this season, but there’s that niggling doubt about his ability to act to his best around Cheltenham, so the odds-against available, at the time of writing, is far from attractive, and he could be one that the bookmakers look to take on.
MARINE NATIONALE
(Sean Flanagan/Barry Connell)
A stunning winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle back in 2023, Marine Nationale has largely been disappointing over fences, but Barry Connell’s charge was last seen chasing home Solness in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, which was arguably a career best over the larger obstacles. He’s still only grabbed one win in five starts over fences, but Connell’s raider has already shown he can deliver the goods at Cheltenham and he’s one that will be looking to storm home to upset the apple cart.
SOLNESS
(J J Slevin/Joseph O’Brien)
A shock 28/1 winner of the Paddy Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, where he got the better of Gaelic Warrior, Solness showed that was no fluke when producing a stunning front-running display to beat the aforementioned Marine Nationale in the Dublin Chase last month. Joseph O’Brien’s improver is set to make this a really fascinating event, as he’s sure to go out quick from the flag fall and will be looking to maintain the gallop and put his rivals under pressure. This is a whole new assignment around the undulating Cheltenham, but he’s in fabulous form and adds real intrigue to the race.
ENERGUMENE
(Paul Townend/Willie Mullins)
A dual winner of this race having stormed to victory in the 2022 and 2023 renewals, Energumene is looking for the hat-trick of wins on Wednesday, but at the ripe old age of 11 he could have seen better days. A real proven class act on his day, the Willie Mullins-trained contender was last seen being put in his place by Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, but prior to that he won the Hilly Way Chase at Cork with ease. It’s going to be a big ask here, but he’s shown the class to dominant this race, so can’t be discounted.
THE FIELD
Henry De Bromhead’s Captain Guinness finally got his big Cheltenham Festival success in this race 12 months ago, but the ten-year-old has found life very tough this season and was last seen finishing sixth behind Solness in the Dublin Chase and needs to bounce back. One that is of interest is Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty, who pulled up at Leopardstown at Christmas, but had previously won well at Down Royal and Navan. Second in the Arkle last year, the Cullentra House inmate has decent festival form and is one that could well benefit from a long break and could be the each-way play for many. Both Quilixios and Libberty Hunter will have their work cut out and will be vying for the minor honours, as both have yet to shown they can deliver at the highest level.
VERDICT
It’s a race that should go the way of Jonbon, but his penchant to fluff his lines at Cheltenham could see him crumble again and it’s FOUND A FIFTY that can cause a massive upset by getting his head in front. Jonbon should be good enough for second, while Energumene can defy his age and come home in third for what should be a superb showpiece race on Wednesday.
2025 Queen Mother Champion Chase 1-2-3
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