Champion Chase

Champion Chase Cheltenham

The Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt race traditionally run on Style Wednesday, the second day of the Cheltenham Festival. Held on Cheltenham’s legendary Old Course, this spectacular race is known for its elegant jumps and fast-paced action.

It is one of the most testing races at Cheltenham, requiring expert levels of precision and finesse to jump 13 fences over 1m 7f. Fourteen horses are expected to vie for victory this March but only one will seize the day and win this historic trophy.

The best of the best are scheduled to compete in 2024, which includes El Fabiolo for trainer Willie Mullins and another top Nicky Henderson runner in Jonbon, the two renewing a rivalry that saw Mullins’ charge win last year’s Arkle.

See our Champion Chase betting odds for our latest prices ahead of one of Cheltenham’s most prestigious contests.

History of the Champion Chase

The Champion Chase was established in 1959 and was originally known as the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase before it changed in recognition of the Queen Mother, an avid supporter of jump racing, on her 80th birthday.

Quita Que and jockey Bunny Cox won the first-ever Champion Chase in style. The 10-year-old, trained by Dan Moore, won in convincing fashion to set the stage for what horse racing fans would come to expect from the chase throughout the years.

There have been more than 40 different winners of this illustrious competition with several horses claiming the title multiple times – some in repeat succession to join an even more exclusive club. The following horses are all back-to-back winners:

• Fortria (1960/61)

• Drinny’s Double (1967/68)

• Skymas (1976/77)

• Hilly Way (1978/79)

• Pearlyman (1987/88)

• Barnbrook Again (1989/90)

• Viking Flagship (1994/95)

• Master Minded (2008/09)

• Altior (2018/19)

• Energumene (2022/23)

While impressive, only one holds the record for the most number of wins. Badsworth Boy is the most successful horse to grace the event having won three Champion Chases in a row from 1983 to 1985. The record seems unlikely to be broken anytime soon with Energumene not competing this year due to injury.

Several well-known jockeys have triumphed in the Champion Chase – including the likes of Peter Scudamore, AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Nico de Boinville – with Pat Taaffe and Barry Geraghty each managing a record five wins.

When is the Champion Chase?

The Champion Chase takes place on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, otherwise known as ‘Style Wednesday’. There are seven races planned for the day with the Novices’ Hurdle kicking off proceedings at 13:30.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is scheduled to take place at 15:30 on March 13th. It is the fourth race of the day between the 14:50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle and the 16:10 Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase.

Multiple horses will be vying for the silverware come showtime, including El Fabiolo, the 2024 favourite who is unbeaten in seven. He will face steady competition from Jonbon, who looks to bounce back from his defeat in the Clarence House Chase on Cheltenham Trials Day.

Meanwhile, Energumene might have won it the past two years but an injury prevents him from attempting to emulate Badsworth Boy and complete the hat-trick.

Here is the list of early entrants for the 2024 Champion Chase:

• El Fabiolo
• Jonbon
• Edwardstone
• Ferny Hollow
• Captain Guinness
• Elixir De Nutz
• Appreciate It
• Editeur Du Gite
• Gentleman De Mee
• Boothill
• Visionarian
• Maskada
• Funambule Sivola

Entrants correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please check the race market for latest runners & riders

Whoever wins this highly-coveted trophy will rightfully earn their place in Cheltenham history. Visit the Style Wednesday section of the BetMGM sportsbook for the latest Champion Chase odds.