ENERGUMENE

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see a proper rematch between Energumene and Shishkin as Nicky Henderson eight-year-old was pulled up after eight fences He was never travelling and was found to have a rare bone disease in the months that followed. Energuemene clearly enjoyed the change in tactics and may well have beaten Shishkin had he completed the race In the end he won with his head in his chest and we look forward to seeing if he can retain his title.

Grade 1

Run over one mile, seven furlongs & 199 yards. 13 fences to be jumped Total prize fund of £400,000 £225,080 to the winner

Winning Connections

Trainers and Jockeys with some of the strongest records in the race over the last 10 years.

TRAINER Paul Nicholls

2 winners

Today Paul saddles Greaneteen

JOCKEY Paul Townend

1 winner

Today Paul rides Energumene

Whilst Friday’s Gold Cup is all about stamina, this afternoon’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase focuses on speed, with Europe’s top two-mile chasers hoping to add their name to an illustrious Roll of Honour.

The Dan Moore-trained Quita Que won the inaugural National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase in 1959 under Bunny Cox before Tom Dreaper, the leading trainer in the race, and Pat Taaffe teamed up with Fortria to become the first multiple winner of the race in 1960 and 1961. Ever since then there have been many multiple winners of this two mile chase; Drinny’s Double achieving the same feat for trainer Bob Turnell and jockey Frank Nash in 1967 and 1968.

Fred Winter trained his one and only Champion Chase winner in 1971 when Paul Kelleway partnered Crisp to victory, who two years later suffered an agonising defeat by Red Rum in the 1973 Grand National.

The Edward Courage-trained Royal Relief became the first horse in the race’s history to regain his title after winning under Bill Smith in 1972 and 1974. Skymas recorded back-to-back wins for trainer Brian Lusk and jockey Mouse Morris in 1976 and 1977 and became the oldest winner, at twelve, on the second of those occasions The Peter McCreery-trained Hilly Way picked up the baton immediately afterwards winning under Tommy Carmody in 1978 and Ted Walsh in 1979.

The Queen Mother, whose Game Spirit finished runner-up in the race in 1976, had been an unwavering supporter of National Hunt racing and in 1980 the race was renamed the Queen Mother Champion Chase in celebration of her 80th birthday. Up until her death she was always on hand to give out the trophy each season.

The Robert Earnshaw-ridden Badsworth Boy dominated the race in the early 1980s, winning for three years in succession between 1983 and 1985 for the Dickinson family and he remains the most successful horse in the history of the race. At the end of the 1980s there were two more back-to-back winners of the race. Pearlyman tasted glory for John Edwards in 1987 and 1988 and the David Elsworth-trained Barnbrook Again followed suit in 1989 and 1990.

David Nicholson broke his duck in 1994 when Viking Flagship galloped to victory under Adrian Maguire and he didn’t have to wait long for his second when the same horse followed up 12 months later in the hands of Charlie Swan

The Jessica Harrington-trained Moscow Flyer stamped his authority on the race in 2003 before disappointing punters 12 months later when unseating Barry Geraghty. He returned in 2005 and duly made amends, becoming the joint-second oldest winner of the race

In more recent seasons Barry Geraghty has been a leading force. In 2010, he partnered the Colm Murphy-trained Big Zeb to something of a surprise success before teaming up with Nicky Henderson in 2012 and 2013 with Finian’s Rainbow and Sprinter Sacre respectively. That took his tally to five making him joint-leading jockey with Pat Taaffe

And who can forget the 2016 renewal when Sprinter Sacre completed the greatest of comebacks by becoming only the third horse to regain his Champion Chase crown. The ten-year-old had endured a difficult time since winning the race for the first time in 2013 but produced a brilliant display under Nico De Boinville to send the crowd into raptures.

Altior gave Nico and trainer Nicky Henderson two winners of the race between 2017 and 2020, but his absence saw Politologue take the crown back to Ditcheat in 2020, giving Paul Nicholls a sixth Champion Chase win and owner, John Hales, a third after One Man and Azertyuiop had won the race for him in 1998 and 2004 respectively. Henry de Bromhead’s Put The Kettle On made it seven from the last 11 Arkle winners to go on and win the Champion Chase in 2021 Energumene gave master trainer Willie Mullins his first winner in the race and returns this year to defend his crown.

Jockey J

Trainer T

Owner O

Breeder B

Sponsor S

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