26 horses have been entered at the opening stage for the 2025 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday, 12th March. They include the two horses to have claimed the last three runnings of the race in Energumene and Captain Guinness although plenty of other big names feature in a potentially deep contest.
They include Jonbon, the winner of 11 of his 13 races over fences. The nine-year-old missed the race last year due to his stable’s terrible form, but has won on all four of his starts since April, three of which have been in Grade 1 company. HIs latest success saw him cruise to the Tingle Creek at Sandown from Quilixios, another entry in the Champion Chase.
Willie Mullins has entered his big guns for the Wednesday showpiece too. They include last year’s Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior, who impressed in his dismissive manner of victory a year ago, as well as El Fabiolo, who was sent off at just 2/9 for the 2024 Champion Chase before making a race-ending blunder early in the piece. He is yet to be seen this season.
Mullins could also call upon dark horse Blood Destiny, Blue Lord and 2024 runner-up Gentleman De Mee, but this will be one of the lowest percentages his yard takes up in term of the field size overall. The likes of Dinoblue and Il Etait Temps, for instance, are absent for Closutton, while Gordon Elliott is likewise limitedly represented, with only American Mike and Found A Fifty in the early entries.
Some of the more interesting names to feature include the King George VI Chase one-two Banbridge and Il Est Francais. The former is a Grade 1 winner at this trip from Punchestown last season, while the latter impressed yet again with his ability to jump and travel at a furious gallop at Kempton.
Surprise Leopardstown winner Solness, who downed Gaelic Warrior among others over Christmas, has been given an entry alongside stablemate Banbridge by Joseph O’Brien. That race’s third, Marine Nationale, may run at Cheltenham for the first time since his impressive 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle success too.
For the Brits, improving handicappers Kalif Du Berlais, Libberty Hunter and Martator feature alongside second season chasers JPR One, Master Chewy and Matata. Veterans Boothill and Edwardstone may also have one last hurrah, though potentially the fly in the ointment could be Djelo, who won by a yawning margin in the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon before Christmas.
Senecia has run at big prices in Graded races in Ireland so far this season, while Jungle Boogie was sixth in last year’s Gold Cup, but has been given an intriguing entry here as well.
Champion Chase Entries 2025
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | American Mike | Gordon Elliott |
| 2 | Banbridge | Joseph O’Brien |
| 3 | Blood Destiny | Willie Mullins |
| 4 | Blue Lord | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Boothill | Harry Fry |
| 6 | Captain Guinness | Henry De Bromhead |
| 7 | Djelo | Venetia Williams |
| 8 | Edwardstone | Alan King |
| 9 | El Fabiolo | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | Energumene | Willie Mullins |
| 11 | Found A Fifty | Gordon Elliott |
| 12 | Gaelic Warrior | Willie Mullins |
| 13 | Gentleman De Mee | Willie Mullins |
| 14 | Il Est Francais | Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm |
| 15 | JPR One | Colin Tizzard |
| 16 | Jonbon | Nicky Henderson |
| 17 | Jungle Boogie | Henry De Bromhead |
| 18 | Kalif Du Berlais | Paul Nicholls |
| 19 | Libberty Hunter | Evan Williams |
| 20 | Marine Nationale | Barry Connell |
| 21 | Martator | Venetia Williams |
| 22 | Master Chewy | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 23 | Matata | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 24 | Quilixios | Henry De Bromhead |
| 25 | Senecia | Vincent Laurence Halley |
| 26 | Solness | Joseph O’Brien |