Champion Chase Tips 2021
The feature race on Ladies' Day at the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Chase. The Champion Chase may be the youngest of the four Championship race at Cheltenham, having been created in 1959, but the race boasts a rich history of winners. The Champion Chase is also named in honour of the Queen Mother, who gave so much to the sport of horse racing during her lifetime.
2021 Champion Chase Key Facts
| Date | Wednesday 17th March, 2021 |
| Time | 3:30pm |
| Course | Cheltenham Festival |
| Status | Grade One |
| Distance | 2m |
| Prize Pool | £400k |
| Age | 5YO+ |
2021 Champion Chase Odds
2021 Champion Chase Tips
Chacun Pour Soi and former two-time winner, Altior were both forced to miss the 2020 Champion Chase, and both are fancied to make up for lost time in 2021. Last year's beaten favourite, Defi Du Seuil sits prominently in the market, along with Henry De Bromhead's duo of A Plus Tard and Put The Kettle On.
We'll have a range of 2021 Champion Chase tips live on the website when the new National Hunt season starts.
We'll have a range of 2021 Champion Chase tips live on the website when the new National Hunt season starts.
2021 Champion Chase Entries
Chacun Pour Soi currently dominated the betting, following a sparkling victory over Christmas. Willie Mullins, who's still searching for his first win in the Champion Chase, also has Cilaos Emery and Cash Back in the mix, along with Min and Tornado Flyer, both of whom are more likely to run in the Ryanair Chase.
Defending Champion, Politologue is one of four entries for Paul Nicholls. Greaneteen, Magic Saint and Duc Des Genievres could all join Politologue in the final field.
Altior feature in the entries, despite his defeat over Christmas. Nube Negra produced a stunning display to beat Altior in the Desert Orchid Chase, and Dan Skelton has handed his stable star a Queen Mother entry.
Defi Du Seuil flopped in the race 12 months ago, but has been given the chance to make amends. Waiting Patiently has been entered here, along with the Ryanair and the Gold Cup.
Notebook has been given an entry by Henry de Bromhead, as has reigning Arkle winner, Put The Kettle On.
Gordon Elliott has both Battleoverdoyen and Samcro in the mix. Joseph O'Brien and Jessica Harrington also account for two entries, with Fakir D'Oudairies and Le Richebourg joining Impact Factor and Sizing Pottsie in the field.
Rouge Vif and Chatham Street Lad have both won big handicaps at Cheltenham this season, and could make an appearance in the feature race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.
Venetia Williams has both Ibleo and Fanion D'Estruval entered up. Other notable entries include First Flow, Janika, Sceau Royal, Espirit Du Large and Simply The Betts.
2020 Champion Chase Result
| Position | Name | SP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Politologue | 6/1 |
| 2nd | Dynamite Dollars | 7/1 |
| 3rd | Bun Doran | 33/1 |
| 4th | Defi Du Seuil | 2/5f |
| 5th | Sceau Royal | 10/1 |
Champion Chase Day Card
| Time | Title | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:30pm | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Grade One | 2m 5f |
| 2:10pm | RSA Novices' Chase | Grade One | 3m |
| 2:50pm | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Grade Three Handicap | 2m 5f |
| 3:30pm | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Grade One | 2m |
| 4:10pm | Cross Country Chase | Class Two Handicap | 3m 6f |
| 4:50pm | Grand Annual Handicap Chase | Grade Three Handicap | 2m |
| 5:30pm | Champion Bumper | Grade One | 2m |
Champion Chase History
The Champion Chase is the newest of the four Championship race at the Cheltenham Festival. This Grade One chase takes place on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, and is run over a two-mile trip.
The race was renamed in honour of the Queen Mother during the year of her 80th birthday in 1980. The Queen Mother gave a huge amount of time to the sport of horse racing during her lifetime, and came within a whisker of owning a Champion Chaser when her horse, Game Spirit finished second to Skymas in 1976.
Skymas is one eleven two-time winners of the Champion Chase. That illustrious list includes Fortria, Hilly Way, Viking Flagship, Moscow Flyer, Masterminded, Sprinter Sacre and Altior.
Only one horse has managed to win the Champion Chase three times, and that was Michael Dickinson's Badsworth Boy, who secured a hat-trick of wins between 1983 and '85.
Legendary horses like Flyingbolt, Crisp and One Man have all won the Champion Chase. Many horses use the Arkle Challenge Trophy as a stepping stone to the Champion Chase the following year.
Three trainers have won this Championship race six times. The first being Tom Dreaper, who saddled six of the first 11 winners of this great race.
Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls both have six wins apiece. The great friends and rivals have shared nine of the last 13 runnings between them.
There was barely a dry eye in the house on Ladies' Day in 2016, when ten-year-old Sprinter Sacre rolled back the years and won his second Champion Chase, three years after his first win in 2013.
Gary Moore celebrated a famous win when Sire De Grugy became Champion chaser in 2014. Henry De Bromhead has won the race twice, first with Sizing Europe in 2011, before Special Tiara scored a surprise win in 2016.
Altior won back-to-back Champion Chases in 2018 and '19. With Nicky Henderson's star out injured, Paul Nicholls got back in on the act, as Harry Skelton guided Politologue to victory.
Champion Chase Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Politologue |
| 2019 | Altior |
| 2018 | Altior |
| 2017 | Special Tiara |
| 2016 | Sprinter Sacre |
| 2015 | Dodging Bullets |
| 2014 | Sire De Grugy |
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre |
| 2012 | Finian's Rainbow |
| 2011 | Sizing Europe |
| 2010 | Big Zeb |
| 2009 | Master Minded |
| 2008 | Master Minded |
| 2007 | Voy Por Ustedes |
| 2006 | Newmill |
| 2005 | Moscow Flyer |
| 2004 | Azertyuiop |
| 2003 | Moscow Flyer |
| 2002 | Flagship Uberalles |
Champion Chase FAQs
When is the Champion Chase?
The 2021 Champion Chase will take place at 3:30pm on day two of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday 17th March.
What is the Champion Chase?
The Champion Chase is the feature Championship race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival. This prestigious Grade One is for chasers and is run over a two-mile trip. The Champion Chase has been won by many of the sports greatest, and is named in honour of the Queen Mother.
Who won the Champion Chase?
Politologue caused a minor upset in 2020, making all under Harry Skelton to score an emphatic victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Who's the favourite for the Champion Chase?
Chacun Pour Soi is the ante-post favourite for the 2021 Champion Chase. Two-time winner Altior sits just behind, along with Defi Du Seuil, Put The Kettle On and A Plus Tard.
Where can I watch the Champion Chase?
The 2021 Champion Chase will be shown live on ITV Racing. If you want to stream the race live on your mobile or tablet then visit our Live Streaming page for more details.
