2025 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Festival form: 22. Grade One wins: 8. Odds: 4-5. 

£570,000 well spent? I think you can safely say that now given Jonbon has accumulated over a million pounds in prize money plus has a set of impressive form figures (11/11121/111211/11211-111) next to his name. 

It is a slight surprise this nine-time Grade One winner has not recorded a Cheltenham Festival victory yet, and he’s finished second to brilliant winners (Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo) on his two outings at this meeting. 

Nicky Henderson’s star chaser was forced to bypass the Cheltenham Festival last year, and has won his five starts since then, which includes four Grade Ones plus a victory in the Shloer Chase over this course and distance in November. 

Out of all the potential leading contenders, he has looked the most accomplished this season with an uninterrupted campaign so far, and two polished performances, including in the Tingle Creek, and the Clarence House Chase when last seen. 

He easily brushed aside Energumene at Ascot, and it was hard to find any faults in that performance, other than jumping slightly left on occasions. Energumene still looked to retain plenty of his ability on his belated return in the Hilly Way Chase, so this looks a strong piece of form.

That certainly makes him the one to beat and this solid performer deserves to be the best-priced 10-11 favourite based on what we have seen from him over the past 12 months. 

Festival form: 1. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 9-2.

A brilliant winner of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle two years ago, Marine Nationale looked certain to take high rank over fences last season based on the level of form he showed over hurdles. 

However, after an almost foot-perfect chasing debut, he failed to meet expectations in the Irish Arkle and was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a setback ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. 

His outing in the Barberstown Castle Chase on his return this season was at least a step back in the right direction, despite the fact he was no match for Quilixios, and his jumping improved there following a couple of scrappy leaps early on. 

As expected, he improved from that to finish third behind Solness at Leopardstown over Christmas and finished well ahead of some of his potential rivals here. It was also a similar scenario when second to that rivals in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on his next outing.

It is certainly too early to be writing him off yet, even though he has, so far, failed to meet expectations over fences, and his astute trainer, who holds Marine Nationale in extremely high regard, is potentially building him up slowly towards a tilt at this contest. 

Festival form: 11. Grade One wins: 6. Odds: 13-2.

Stormed to success in this contest in 2022 and 2023 – both on soft ground – and has won six times at Grade One level. 

When he is at his best, he is an extremely smart performer, but is he as good as he once was? 

Willie Mullins’ star two-miler was absent for almost 600 days after narrowly winning the William Hill Champion Chase at the 2023 Punchestown Festival and is now an 11-year-old. 

However, his win in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase on his belated return at Cork in December was impressive and that suggested he retained all his ability. He eventually scored by a comfortable ten lengths there, and was left in the lead when Banbridge, who franked the form next time out, departed at the last. 

He was strong in the market beforehand, too, which hinted he had been showing the right signs at home. 

Although was no match for Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase on his next start, it probably isn't wise to write him off just yet, as there are a couple of factors to consider, despite the fact age could be catching up with him now. 

He raced keenly at Ascot plus was beaten in that contest prior to winning the Champion Chase in 2022, and he also had the bounce factor to overcome, while the ground may have been a shade quick.

Cheltenham is certain to suit him better than Ascot and if he does show his best here, he will definitely be in the mix, but whether he is capable of doing so remains a question mark. He would also prefer ease in the ground.

Festival form: 0. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 7-1.

Developed into a useful, and consistent, handicap chaser last year having shown gradual improvement throughout the season and after scoring again in September, connections decided to test Graded waters once more. 

That proved to be a wise move as Solness finished second and third in Grade Two company prior to winning the Grade One Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown, and the ground went against him when disappointing in the Tingle Creek ahead of that outing. 

Without wanting to downgrade that success, it is worth noting he had the run of the race from the front, and a similar scenario is unlikely to happen in the Champion Chase.

The same can also be said for his win in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase where he was given a brilliant ride by Danny Mullins who stole the race at halfway, and his rivals were left with too much to do. However, he did clock some impressive RaceiQ figures (which suggested he did not just get an easy lead) and if he is able to reproduce those figures at Cheltenham, he will be in the mix.

It is unlikely he will get away with similar tactics here, and that could mean he is vulnerable, but there is a chance this seven-year-old is improving rapidly, and a strong each-way case can certainly be made for him, especially with the ground in his favour.

Festival form: 2. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 18-1.

Enjoyed a successful campaign as a novice last season having scored twice at Grade One level plus also finished runner-up at that level three times. 

There’s no doubting his form was franked on multiple occasions last season, but he was firmly put in his place by Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle and needed to improve this season to develop into a leading player for the Champion Chase. 

You can certainly argue he’s done that this season as he was conceding a stone to a race-fit rival when landing a Grade Two at Down Royal on his return plus defeated Solness in the Fortria Chase next time out, despite hanging, and jumping, right throughout. 

The vet reported that Found A Fifty had a slight bilateral nasal discharge after the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase, so a line can be put through that below-par effort, and it would have been a surprise if he wasn’t competitive there (if he’d shown his best) given Solness won the race. 

At a best-priced 18-1, it would not be the biggest shock to see him involved in the finish, providing he bounces back from his Leopardstown setback, and he may have further improvement to offer on his second season over fences, although will need a couple of the leading players to underperform to cause a minor upset.

Festival form: B321. Grade One wins: 1. Odds: 20-1.

A brilliant servant for the Henry de Bromhead team over the past five season and has proved to be a consistent performer overall. 

Victory in this race last year is undoubtedly the highlight on his CV, and he also finished second behind Energumene 12 months prior to that. 

Without wanting to demote his achievement at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, he was fortunate that red-hot favourite El Fabiolo failed to show his best, and he was all out to defeat Gentleman De Mee. 

This year’s renewal of the BetMGM Champion Chase looks set to be a stronger renewal, and that will leave Captain Guinness vulnerable given he was firmly put in his place by Energumene in 2023. 

A bigger concern is that the ten-year-old has failed to sparkle in three starts so far this season and has question marks to answer now. 

Festival form: 18. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 25-1.

Won the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2021 but proved a shade disappointing in open company over hurdles the following season before a setback kept him off the track for 610 days. 

He eventually returned to make his chasing debut, and just about showed the same level of form over the larger obstacles last season, despite the fact he was well beaten in Grade Ones at Cheltenham and Aintree. 

It was wise to expect further improvement this season given his age, and relatively low mileage, and Cheveley Park Stud’s gelding has done just that having impressed when defeating Marine Nationale at Naas before finishing second to Jonbon in the Tingle Creek. 

That does mean he will need Jonbon to underperform, as well as some of the other leading contenders, to go close, as there is no obvious reason why he will reverse form with Nicky Henderson’s star chaser. 

Quilixios was also disappointing in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on his latest start, at a time when Henry de Bromhead's string were not firing on all cylinders, and a bounce back will be required in the Champion Chase.

Festival form: 2. Grade One wins: 0. Odds: 33-1. 

Quickly developed into a better performer over fences last season having looked a work in progress over hurdles and found only Unexpected Party too good in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival. 

That was a fair performance on just his fourth start over fences and he progressed again to finish third in a Grade One Novices’ Chase at Aintree on his next start. 

A rating of 144 meant he had plenty to find with the leading two-mile chasers in open company this season but made a mockery of that mark in a handicap chase at Cheltenham on his return to action, impressing with the way he travelled before finding plenty under pressure. 

His form figures at Cheltenham now read 121, and he doesn’t have many miles on the clock for a nine-year-old, so looks capable of further progress over the coming months. 

Evan Williams has stressed that Libberty Hunter needs cut in the ground, so will be hoping conditions are on the softer side. However, he is still likely to find a few too good, even if the going is in his favour, and a handicap may be a more suitable option. 

This looks set to be a brilliant race. Jonbon is the one to beat on the form he has shown this season, but looks short enough at the head of the betting, and with eight declared, I would rather side with a contender each-way at a bigger price. 

The one who makes most appeal at chunkier odds is SOLNESS who has has impressed on his past two outings at Grade One level, and while it is easy to say he enjoyed the run of the race on both occasions, the RaceiQ data hints that his latest win was as impressive as it looked. 

Energumene would be a big player if showing his best, but he would prefer softer ground, and Marine Nationale will need to take another step forward to reverse form with Solness.

The rest of the contenders will need at least a couple of the leading players to underperform to go close.