Cheltenham Festival: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Champion Chase

The Champion Chase is one of four championship races at the festival and the feature race of the second day.

Run over the minimum trip of two-miles with 13 fences to jump, it is the ultimate test of speed and jumping. The Champion Chase roll of honour features some of the National Hunt greats including Sprinter Sacre, Moscow Flyer, Masterminded and Altior.

The race first took place in 1959, but took its current name in 1980 in recognition of the Queen Mother’s commitment to jump racing. 

Tom Draper, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson have all won the race six times - no trainer has won it more. 

When is it? 

The race has a scheduled post time of 3.30pm on March 13, 2024. 

How can I watch?

The race will be broadcast live on ITV and Racing TV, you will also be able to stream it through the SBK app.

The Runners 

El Fabiolo - 1.54
Jonbon - 4.6
Edwardstone - 6.4
Ferny Hollow - 20.0
Captain Guinness - 29.0
Elixir De Nutz - 44.0
Editeur Du Gite - 48.0
Boothill - 60.0
65.0 - BAR

Who should you back?

This is typically a race won by one of the leading horses in the market. Since 1993 only one horse has won at bigger odds than 11/1. Given that statistic, we can narrow our attention onto El Fabiolo, Jonbon (below), and Edwardstone.

Jonbon is trained by Nicky Henderson, who has trained five of the last 12 winners of this race. His last win came in 2019 with Altior. However, the last three renewals have been won by Irish horses and in particular those under the care of Willie Mullins. The Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo is the current odds-on favourite but odds-on favourites don’t have a strong record in the Champion Chase. There have been 11 odds on shots this century and only three have won. 

Jonbon was turned over at 1-4 favourite in the rearranged Grade 1 Clarence House Chase in January. Filling in for the injured Nico de Boinville, James Bowen somehow survived a mid-race blunder four fences from the finish but was unable to reel in long-time leader Elixir De Nutz. Jonbon would be only the third winner this century to have been a beaten favourite on their last run.

The Alan King-trained Edwardstone is a former Cheltenham Festival winner and bounced back to form on his last outing, with the help of new front-running tactics. He destroyed the field at Newbury in the Game Spirit Chase by 40 lengths. Edwardstone will likely set a strong gallop in the Champion Chase which will suit both his rivals Jonbon and El Fabiolo.

Verdict:

El Fabiolo and Jonbon have clashed twice in their career with each coming out on top once but there is little to suggest that Jonbon has closed the gap on El Fabiolo since last year’s Arkle and El Fabiolo looks like yet another Irish banker at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.