Queen Mother Champion Chase 2021

[FaugheenTheMachine]

Stuck a further 1pt on Chosen Mate for Champion Chase in view of entry v PTKO at the weekend.

Non runner. Field is PTKO, Easy Game, Peregrine Run, Hardline, Paloma Blue and The Storyteller

[Lobos]

He was robbed of a second win when they took out the last fence and Finnians did him up the hill.

Had a big bet on Finians Rainbow that year. Agree, missing the fence made the difference.

[Lobos]

Non runner. Field is PTKO, Easy Game, Peregrine Run, Hardline, Paloma Blue and The Storyteller

Still a decent field and hugely excited to see PTKO running. Hope she lives up to my expectations!

[archie]

I don't think that she's quite as good over the extra half mile. Possibly, her slick jumping isn't as much an advantage over the longer trip.

[Quevega]

Interesting horse Put The Kettle On.
In the context of finding next year arkle winner.
A lot of posters get into debates on trip for the novices we see out early in the season.

She was rated 113 over hurdles on her last start in that discipline.

She won 3/4 of her first four chases, and all over 2m 4f.
Then won over 2m at Cheltenham from the front on the 17th November.

Then we didn't see her until March when she won the arkle. Rated 144.
Not easy to spot for an antepost backer that one.

Is she Champion chase material ?

[Lobos]

I don't think that she's quite as good over the extra half mile. Possibly, her slick jumping isn't as much an advantage over the longer trip.

Could be a factor but must win Saturday you would hope. Another factor is Coleman can't ride. Think it may be Rachel's first time on him over fences. She is a very good pilot though.

[Lobos]

Interesting horse Put The Kettle On.
In the context of finding next year arkle winner.
A lot of posters get into debates on trip for the novices we see out early in the season.

She was rated 113 over hurdles on her last start in that discipline.

She won 3/4 of her first four chases, and all over 2m 4f.
Then won over 2m at Cheltenham from the front on the 17th November.

Then we didn't see her until March when she won the arkle. Rated 144.
Not easy to spot for an antepost backer that one.

Is she Champion chase material ?

I believe she is Q. Arkle winners have an incredible record following up in this race and she was a good winner of that. Very few Mares have run in the CC and none have ever won it but with the 7lbs allowance she could put that stat to bed. I've had my biggest AP bet on her so I do hope she doesn't let me down !

[Quevega]

I believe she is Q. Arkle winners have an incredible record following up in this race and she was a good winner of that. Very few Mares have run in the CC and none have ever won it but with the 7lbs allowance she could put that stat to bed. I've had my biggest AP bet on her so I do hope she doesn't let me down !

Too simplistic for me.
The vast majority of arkle winners that go on to become champion chasers - were also champion's or very prominent hurdlers also.
I'm against her for now, but will be monitoring how she goes.

[Lobos]

Too simplistic for me.
The vast majority of arkle winners that go on to become champion chasers - were also champion's or very prominent hurdlers also.
I'm against her for now, but will be monitoring how she goes.

I do love to keep things simple.......it's my middle name.

[Quevega]

I do love to keep things simple.......it's my middle name.

If you kept it that simple you wouldn't have a middle name.

You would just be

LOBOS

[Dessie the great]

Too simplistic for me.
The vast majority of arkle winners that go on to become champion chasers - were also champion's or very prominent hurdlers also.
I'm against her for now, but will be monitoring how she goes.

Agreed although Special Tiara was only rated 116 over hurdles if I remember correctly. The vast majority of Arkle winners WERE very prominent hurdlers, hence the adage that you needed to be a 140+ rated hurdler to win an arkle. I reckon PTKO is by far the lowest hurdle rating of any Arkle winner in the last 40 years

[Quevega]

Agreed although Special Tiara was only rated 116 over hurdles if I remember correctly. The vast majority of Arkle winners WERE very prominent hurdlers, hence the adage that you needed to be a 140+ rated hurdler to win an arkle. I reckon PTKO is by far the lowest hurdle rating of any Arkle winner in the last 40 years

Obviously Tiara didn't run in an arkle either.
I'd be more confident of PTKO's credentials for a champion chaser had her opposition in the arkle been a little more high class.
It looks much more likely to me that we witnessed another poor arkle.
2 years running.

[Lobos]

Have any of you followed me in on Chosen Mate? Have just watched his Grand Annual win back again. Cruised up to them 2 out and would have won even cosier had he not got in tight to the last. Very good performance in view of it was just his 4th chase outing. His winning time was a fair bit quicker than Politolouge's Champion Chase win albeit carrying 6lb less. That said with expected improvement this season he could take high rank amongst the 2 mile chasers. They are running him earlier than most over flat and hurdles ( as they did last season) and presumably will test him against the best chasers from late December onwards. He surprised connections winning as he did at the Fez and hopefully will keep on surprising them. I liked his entry v PTKO at the weekend which shows to me they think a lot of him. He was probably pulled out in view of expected heavy rain as he is ground dependant and is much better on a faster surface which is good news as far as the Fez is concerned. At 33/1 I think he is worth jumping on in a very open Champion Chase year.

[Saxon Warrior]

Have any of you followed me in on Chosen Mate? Have just watched his Grand Annual win back again. Cruised up to them 2 out and would have won even cosier had he not got in tight to the last. Very good performance in view of it was just his 4th chase outing. His winning time was a fair bit quicker than Politolouge's Champion Chase win albeit carrying 6lb less. That said with expected improvement this season he could take high rank amongst the 2 mile chasers. They are running him earlier than most over flat and hurdles ( as they did last season) and presumably will test him against the best chasers from late December onwards. He surprised connections winning as he did at the Fez and hopefully will keep on surprising them. I liked his entry v PTKO at the weekend which shows to me they think a lot of him. He was probably pulled out in view of expected heavy rain as he is ground dependant and is much better on a faster surface which is good news as far as the Fez is concerned. At 33/1 I think he is worth jumping on in a very open Champion Chase year.

He looked every inch a Cheltenham horse, and I had him at 12/1 Any Race and 10/1 for the Grand Annual after he was too over-rated for the 2M4F novice Chase.

For me, I think he comes back in March and runs a very good race again, but I’m not sure in which race at the moment.

I’ve backed him at 20/1 Any Race.

He could run in the Champion Chase, Ryanair, Grand Annual (again) or the Brown Plate depending on how his season goes, but he is a live one to run a 2nd good race at Cheltenham.

Davy Russell put him out the back, in the Grand Annual and he cruised passed them around the bend and into the straight, it was “knife through butter” stuff, and you’re right, getting in close to the last cut his winning margin down.

I’m not sure he would show much over hurdles, if he runs in them, but Cheltenham’s Fences and Chosen Mate, go very well together.

[Quevega]

Don't forget he's also entered in the hurdle on Sunday as well.
Not normally what you'd be doing if you were targetting a champion chase.
However, what's normal these days.