2022 Queen Mother Champion Chase

[Saxon Warrior]

I think it would be a travesty for the reigning champ of this race to drop down to a G2 Mares Chase at the festival the following season, and there should be something in place to stop this from happening, IMO. The Mares races are all well and good but I now feel like they can go and take advantage of a 7lb allowance when it suits and revert back to their own sex when it doesn't, which is surely not how it's meant to be.

As for Henry's comments, well, he needs a kick in the cojones for even contemplating it. One defeat at the track, in a race where she only just crawled over the line in one of the worst ever renewals the previous season, and now he's thinking about the Mares Chase....wet blanket!

It would be a stinker of a decision, not to defend her title, without more supporting info that she has regressed.

The only sensible reason to do the swap would be if she has gone right off, and had no chance of winning the QMCC - that would make it understandable.

If you look at her two Schloer Chase ratings though, they are exactly the same: RPR 156 winning last year, and the same when running on late this year.

On that basis, the QMCC should remain their number 1 target, and I think it probably is still, until we see her run next, with the rest being musings from the trainer about what they may do if her form does drops off.

If that is the case then there would be no point coming for the Mares Chase or the Ryanair either, though.

PTKO only had 4lb in hand on Elimay after winning the QMCC last season, if she has dropped off a wedge from her best then she isnt winning at the Festival

[Dessie the great]

It would be a stinker of a decision, not to defend her title, without more supporting info that she has regressed.

The only sensible reason to do the swap would be if she has gone right off, and had no chance of winning the QMCC - that would make it understandable.

If you look at her two Schloer Chase ratings though, they are exactly the same: RPR 156 winning last year, and the same when running on late this year.

On that basis, the QMCC should remain their number 1 target, and I think it probably is still, until we see her run next, with the rest being musings from the trainer about what they may do if her form does drops off.

If that is the case then there would be no point coming for the Mares Chase or the Ryanair either, though.

PTKO only had 4lb in hand on Elimay after winning the QMCC last season, if she has dropped off a wedge from her best then she isnt winning at the Festival

I think it will all depend on the ground with her for me, she has showed she is very effective on soft over 2m and would in my view definitely hit the frame with those conditions. If it was good to soft or better she needs a longer trip in my view and looking at the Ryanair is a sensible thing to do to cover all bases

[Craigy14]

I think it will all depend on the ground with her for me, she has showed she is very effective on soft over 2m and would in my view definitely hit the frame with those conditions. If it was good to soft or better she needs a longer trip in my view and looking at the Ryanair is a sensible thing to do to cover all bases

I don’t think it’s just the ground though, this year won’t be ran at a crawl like last year so I don’t think it matters about the ground. She’ll be swept off her feet on good, good to soft or soft imo.

Theres no chance WPM let’s the race go as it did this year.

[FinalFurlong91]

I don’t think it’s just the ground though, this year won’t be ran at a crawl like last year so I don’t think it matters about the ground. She’ll be swept off her feet on good, good to soft or soft imo.

Theres no chance WPM let’s the race go as it did this year.

Agreed

The lack of early pace last year allowed her to keep up

That definitely won't happen this year if chacun gets there fit

[Saxon Warrior]

The Champion Chase can be a small field, and therefore liable to be a crawl, if no-one commits to make a decent pace.

Surely that mistake won't be repeated this season by those that need a strong pace.

[charlie]

It would be a stinker of a decision, not to defend her title, without more supporting info that she has regressed.

The only sensible reason to do the swap would be if she has gone right off, and had no chance of winning the QMCC - that would make it understandable.

If you look at her two Schloer Chase ratings though, they are exactly the same: RPR 156 winning last year, and the same when running on late this year.

On that basis, the QMCC should remain their number 1 target, and I think it probably is still, until we see her run next, with the rest being musings from the trainer about what they may do if her form does drops off.

If that is the case then there would be no point coming for the Mares Chase or the Ryanair either, though.

PTKO only had 4lb in hand on Elimay after winning the QMCC last season, if she has dropped off a wedge from her best then she isnt winning at the Festival

Agree with all of that. Also, re the Schloer, its not like she pulled up or finished 40L tailed off, which is the outcome I think most of us expected mid race, she kept at it and kept fighting. Not ideal but I'd 100% need more evidence to call it regression. I'd call throwing her in a mares race NTO more of a confidence booster than anything else, and giving her less of a hard time of it pre-Cheltenham.

[Saxon Warrior]

Agree with all of that. Also, re the Schloer, its not like she pulled up or finished 40L tailed off, which is the outcome I think most of us expected mid race, she kept at it and kept fighting. Not ideal but I'd 100% need more evidence to call it regression. I'd call throwing her in a mares race NTO more of a confidence booster than anything else, and giving her less of a hard time of it pre-Cheltenham.

Thats the page I'm on too. charlie

[Spectre]

I've made my view on what I believe her chances of winning are this time around, but even so she just has to try to defend her title unless she runs poorly a couple of times, and if she did you couldn't fancy for the Mares or the Ryanair either.

Connections have been in heaven the last couple of years with her Arkle and Champion Chase wins, and it would be a very strange decision to divert her anywhere else other than the Champion Chase. Surely it's that race or no Festival at all.

[Stormez]

I've made my view on what I believe her chances of winning are this time around, but even so she just has to try to defend her title unless she runs poorly a couple of times, and if she did you couldn't fancy for the Mares or the Ryanair either.

Connections have been in heaven the last couple of years with her Arkle and Champion Chase wins, and it would be a very strange decision to divert her anywhere else other than the Champion Chase. Surely it's that race or no Festival at all.

Agree she deserves the chance to defend her title, and going for something else would go against the sporting way her owners have previously campaigned her.

They seem to make the decisions rather than Henry, so hopefully he’s just thinking aloud & not repeating conversations they’ve had with him.

[Dessie the great]

Agree she deserves the chance to defend her title, and going for something else would go against the sporting way her owners have previously campaigned her.

They seem to make the decisions rather than Henry, so hopefully he’s just thinking aloud & not repeating conversations they’ve had with him.

I think they should send her to where she has the best chance of winning, she has looked like she would improve for a step up in trip for a year now, Ruby has been bleating on about it on R2C for the last year too.

Let's face it, if its good ground she would have no chance over 2 miles, I would give her a right chance in the Ryanair against Allaho/Fakir and not much else. She outstayed Fakir in an Arkle.

Ryanair Mightnt be much harder win than a mares chase. A lot will depend on ground conditions imo

[Lobos]

Nothing wrong with them trying to win a couple of races over further with Kettle before the Fez and picking up some nice prize money. They can then take a look at what the other top 2 milers have done and then reassess where she stands. I personally can't see her ending up anywhere else other than the Champion Chase . You can be sure that one or two of Shishkin, Chacun, Energumene, Nube Negra or Allaho will not even make it to the festival so, if she does, then she has every chance of being in the mix again.

[Dessie the great]

Nothing wrong with them trying to win a couple of races over further with Kettle before the Fez and picking up some nice prize money. They can then take a look at what the other top 2 milers have done and then reassess where she stands. I personally can't see her ending up anywhere else other than the Champion Chase . You can be sure that one or two of Shishkin, Chacun, Energumene, Nube Negra or Allaho will not even make it to the festival so, if she does, then she has every chance of being in the mix again.

Nube Negra would have no chance on soft imo

[Spectre]

Given Henry avoids winter ground with her there's a chance we don't even see her again until the Festival. If we do it'll be once and surely over 2 miles at Christmas. I don't see any way she gets stepped up in trip before the Festival, and therefore it's a big step to do so at the Festival itself.

It's also worth noting that her worst races over hurdles and fences in ratings terms were when she was stepped up to two and half miles as part of a series of her other races over two miles. That doesn't mean she won't be better over further with maturity, just that it's a giant leap of faith that they surely wouldn't make first time in March.

[Dessie the great]

I think they are running her in Fairyhouse on New Year's Day over 2m5f against mares

[Winging The Last]

If I was her owner I’d want to go into Cheltenham to win another race and emulate Tiger Roll in winning 3 different races at the Cheltenham festival. I don’t think she has much of a chance of winning the QM and at least one of the horses at the top of the betting will make it there. If she goes the Mares Chase I’d put her favourite to win over Elimay with her course form.

Obviously you’d keep all options open till then by keeping her entered in the other races but if things stayed the same in these races I’d target the MC with here. Another Cheltenham winner would beat 3rd or 4th in a QM