2025 Champion Chase

[Runragged]

I think this is fair.
For me Ireland's best shot lies with Energumene but being the most ground dependent horse in training he looks to have got unlucky with the weather gods.
Jonbon is hovering around 1.95 on the machine and a general 5/6 with the books, as someone who believes Galopin des Champs is the closest thing you'll ever get to a Cheltenham certainty I think the 7/4 double is something I could get interested in and no doubt someone has an enhanced double price offer at bigger than 7/4...

I agree, if it wasn't for the awful record of favourites in the Champion Chase then I would be very confident on Jonbon. I'm not so certain Energumene is soft ground dependent. He has a 178 RPR when winning the Champion Chase at Punchestown in 2022 on good to yielding. He wasn't disgraced in 2nd at Ascot on Good behind Jonbon, though it may be a case softer ground would slow the others down a bit, especially if it is possible he wants a little further these days also. I would rate him as the biggest danger, even though it would still take a below par Jonbon not to win.

[EnvoiAlien]

Cheers for the heads up BigChaang, I'll give it a look and probably cash out...maybe

[Eggs]

….Energumene;


He’s been fine since Ascot and his training has been going well, but he’s an 11-year-old and the weather forecast is probably not in our favour,” said Sean Graham, Bloom’s racing manager.

“We really want a few showers and the ground on the soft side to have a real chance, but there is no doubt he’s in good form and Willie has been happy with him and he will go over there to take his chance.

“I don’t think this horse has always got the credit he deserves and they always mention how Shishkin was pulled up when he won his first and the race fell apart again a year later, but you can only beat what is put in front of you.”

Not only is Jonbon standing in Energumene’s way once again, but the trends are also against him – as not since Moscow Flyer in 2005 has an 11-year-old obliged, with the only other winner of that age being Skymas in 1976, although Brian Lusk’s charge did follow up at 12 the next season.

“Many, many good horses have won the Champion Chase and Badsworth Boy is the only one to win three of them and that shows you how tough it is,” continued Graham.

“Father Time is probably against him, but he’s relatively lightly raced and has only had 17 runs – he hasn’t had a hard life.

“Before Moscow Flyer, you have to go back to Skymas for the last 11-year-old to win it. But I think conditions will play a huge part, as the drier the ground, the better the chance Jonbon will have, but the wetter it gets, I think there will be a few who will fancy their chances against him.”

[Lobos]

Cheers Eggs.

Sounds to me that they are possibly having second thoughts re Energumene going CC should conditions not be to his liking. With El Fabiolo now going Aintree, Paul doesn't look to have an obvious ride in the Ryanair so I can see him giving them a nudge that way to Energumene to give him a good chance in the race. That'll leave him and Willie with one big chance in the CC with Gaelic and mean that he'll not have to make a choice.

[Istabraq]

Cheers Eggs.

Sounds to me that they are possibly having second thoughts re Energumene going CC should conditions not be to his liking. With El Fabiolo now going Aintree, Paul doesn't look to have an obvious ride in the Ryanair so I can see him giving them a nudge that way to Energumene to give him a good chance in the race. That'll leave him and Willie with one big chance in the CC with Gaelic and mean that he'll not have to make a choice.

Not sure how you're reading that Lobos.
He says he will go there (Champ Chase) and take his chance, he also references history and Badsworth Boy being the only horse to have won three.
Energumene heads here 100%....

[Carnage at Taunton]

Not sure how you're reading that Lobos.
He says he will go there (Champ Chase) and take his chance, he also references history and Badsworth Boy being the only horse to have won three.
Energumene heads here 100%....

Yep, looks like he will run regardless of ground conditions.
Could well be his only contender if this weather this week determines the going next Wednesday.
GW will get left behind on anything better than soft, and they will know that.

[EnvoiAlien]

Bit early for rum isn't it..

[EnvoiAlien]

Kevin Blake has said at a preview show that Ricci told him he’s unlikely to travel … Mind you, Ricci said this last year too.

Ricci was pulling Blakes plonker so they could get a price imo, the big drift on BF has come right back in now...for the Ryanair.

[Hurricane fly]

Energumene to place at 11/10 seems a fantastic bet for some additional juice in multis

[Kevloaf]

Energumene to place at 11/10 seems a fantastic bet for some additional juice in multis

I think I'd relaly want to see 'soft' (good-to-soft in places) ... if it was good to soft ground I'm not sure he's a banker?


I can definitely see Marine Nationale taking 1 spot as well

[ComplyOrDie]

Backed Solness for this now.

Not convinced Gaelic Warrior turns up, Energumene needs soft or worse and no idea what Marine Nationale turns up, not to mention Solness has beat him twice already this season.

The weather looking ahead looks dry enough that ground could be right up Solness' street.

I know he got done by Jonbon at Sandown but he definitely would not have appreciated the ground that day and Joseph said the same.

Think he'll blaze a trail and it will then be up to the others to get to him. He won't make it easy.

[Hurricane fly]

He's plenty of wins on yielding ground, including a win over Chacun Pour Soi.

Marine hasn't won a chase on anything other than soft either.

11/10 for 3 places seems good value for me as it's unlikely we get 3 places on the day, and I'm surprised it's odds against. Though I do accept it being confirmed soft makes it even better value.

[Madmoose]

Found a Fifty all blue for this, has anything been said tonight?

[Kevloaf]

He's plenty of wins on yielding ground, including a win over Chacun Pour Soi.

Marine hasn't won a chase on anything other than soft either.

11/10 for 3 places seems good value for me as it's unlikely we get 3 places on the day, and I'm surprised it's odds against. Though I do accept it being confirmed soft makes it even better value.

Reaching to say Marine doesn't act on good though isn't it really .....

But, fair enough regarding Energumene, that was me saying it without checking but just listening today to them saying his chance depends on it being softer...the better the ground, the better for Jonbon..... I genuinely can't even rememeber where I saw that today either but I do agree

[Kevloaf]

Found a Fifty all blue for this, has anything been said tonight?

Not sure but thought this race was the plan so far

Must have been 'confirmed' as the plan though tonight?