2022 Queen Mother Champion Chase

[Pendil1111]

I see no reason to criticise any top class trainer , bottler or not , especially Nicky......... You only have to look back to the Altior v Cyrname hyped up clash , two horses ruined because the two top trainers were goaded into running the best horses in the land !! Look how that panned out.......

[giantcauseway]

Think that's the game isn't it? Nicky could've got a prep run into him to prepare Altior for a battle but asked to dig deep without warming him up (if that makes sense) over a distance that he hadn't been tested yet at Graded level.

That's like asking an athlete to run a big race without any prep races. That athlete may have reached a personal best but perhaps, the after effects from that effort makes him or her a shadow of their best.

Nicholls' deserve the credit as he could've run away as the underdog. Horses aren't machines and they will peak and decline at stages in their careers. He got the best out of a horse that had a limited ceiling imv and he's been well placed. He had fitness and distance advantage over Altior and was pushed to the extreme despite those advantages.

[ToniC]

I don’t think Energumene will go to the Ryanair unless he’s absolutely trounced by Shishkin. Willie was happy to run min in the champion chase when he already knew he wasn’t good enough to beat altior, and of course all it takes is a fall or a stone bruise on the morning of the race and he would be comfortably better than the rest you would think. Especially with CPS seeming like he could possibly be on the decline this season, not looking right when he ran then injured again at Xmas

[HoldenTheReins]

Both declared. I'll await Shishkin having a cough in the morning and be pulled

[Benjy23]

All set for a First Flow win

Looking forward to this one. And the market reactions afterwards.

[Atlantic Viking]

ITV Racing’s lead presenter Ed Chamberlin has called on the sport to make the most of Saturday’s dream heavyweight clash between superstar two-milers Shishkin and Energumene, comparing it to Manchester United versus Liverpool and believing it is the sort of contest that has the power to reach a new audience.
“In my old job this would have a name and we’d be selling it all week,” said the former Sky Sports anchor.

Also: To be shown on ITV4, repeats of Midsomer Murders and Tipping Point taking priority on the main channel...

[Lobos]

Energumene to the Ryanair then.

[archie]

As it stands, Liverpool v Man Utd is more like Nube Negra v Politologue.

[Lobos]

As it stands, Liverpool v Man Utd is more like Nube Negra v Politologue.

[SharpHat]

Energumene to the Ryanair then.

I like the shiskin cc energumene Ryanair related double if you're assuming shishkin wins easily

[FinalFurlong91]

Do people really think Willie will run arguably his two best horses against each other in the ryanair?

Suppose if he gets beat and allaho gets an injury he could end up there but don't see that happening if they are both fit even if shiskin wins by miles

[Lobos]

I like the shiskin cc energumene Ryanair related double if you're assuming shishkin wins easily

Shishkin will blow him away at the weekend but I can't have Energumene winning the Ryanair so I'm out.

[Irish Rugby]

Let's see how the various tv news reports, in their sport sections, treat the clash. It's just an average sporting Saturday. Nothing too big going on in other sports. The Tennis will only be half way through in Australia, it's another round of games in the Rugby Champions Cup, and another regular Saturday premiership football. One of the easier Saturdays for racing to advertise itself. Not being on the main ITV channel says it all really.

[Stormez]

Not that I thought he was going to win, but disappointing not to see Hitman run. Has Nicholls given any reason for this?

[Craigy14]

Energumene to the Ryanair then.

I think this assumption is wide of the mark Lobos.

I don’t see why he sends his best 2m horse up in trip to face another potential monster from his own yard in the Ryanair

Which would leave him Chacun for the champion chase if fit and well. Unless he’s beat half the track which is very unlikely imo he’ll still go to the champion chase.