Queen Mother Champion Chase 2021

[Kevloaf]

I would still consider Notebook at 33s. My gut feeling is that the yard feels he is better than PTKO and I'm willing to give him another chance. I know the start of the Arkle(lost a few lengths from the standing start so could not race prominantly) and the very soft ground would not have helped his chances but the Dublin Racing Festival where he bolted at the start and still won may have left a mark as Cash Back also ran poorly. I've read that Blackmore felt he was beaten 4 out and he certainly looked very tired jumping the last. I really don't think this was the real Notebook.

You'd want to see them work on his manner. Despite winning at the DRF he bolted and was keen. Was keen on way to post at Cheltenham and his record there now includes a 27L defeat on the back of a 51L defeat.

33/1 does allow for that to an extent, but it'll always be a worry for a horse who has what you'd have to say is poor course form?




For the most part, I do agree, that cannot have been his best effort... the problem for me, is Cheltenham may never be a place he can show his best effort.

[Lobos]

I fancy Chosen Mate could improve enough to have an outside chance next March. Was a very easy winner of the GA and looks like he'll be kept busy again this season before trying his luck against the top 2 milers. I like him and he's a very backable price. Don't see him going for anything other than this race.

[KingSprinterSacre]

A horse running on the flat in Killarney in mid July wouldnt be my idea of a champion chase winner. Or beaten 33 lengths the time before in a grade3 2mile hurdle where the trainer said he was outpaced. The step up from beating handicappers 2 lengths to the champion chase would be far too big in my opinion

[ComplyOrDie]

I fancy Chosen Mate could improve enough to have an outside chance next March. Was a very easy winner of the GA and looks like he'll be kept busy again this season before trying his luck against the top 2 milers. I like him and he's a very backable price. Don't see him going for anything other than this race.

Plenty of stamina in CM's pedigree. Also not sure he's top level. Wonder if they'll get him beat well in a couple of graded races to get that mark down, but wouldn't be surprised if he ended up back in a handicap myself. Brown Advisory would be what I'd be looking at currently.

[Lobos]

A horse running on the flat in Killarney in mid July wouldnt be my idea of a champion chase winner. Or beaten 33 lengths the time before in a grade3 2mile hurdle where the trainer said he was outpaced. The step up from beating handicappers 2 lengths to the champion chase would be far too big in my opinion

Took a similar route last season and it worked to perfection. Clearly a horse that needs to be kept on the go for whatever reason. He won the GA comfortably. Yes, he'll need to step up on that but he's rated only 4lbs inferior to Fakir D and every chance that he will Keep improving. 40/1 is very fair in an open year.

[Craigy14]

Took a similar route last season and it worked to perfection. Clearly a horse that needs to be kept on the go for whatever reason. He won the GA comfortably. Yes, he'll need to step up on that but he's rated only 4lbs inferior to Fakir D and every chance that he will Keep improving. 40/1 is very fair in an open year.

Couldn’t have him at all basing it on being 4lbs worse than Fakir D.

Chosen Mate lost 2 beginners chases before eventually winning one and then won a grade 3 chase. Fakir won a beginners chase then competed in 3 grade 1’s finishing 1-2-2.

How chosen mate is 4lbs to that is quite embarrassing imo.

Agree with others handicap will be his most likely destination.

Off the top of my head Elliott hasn’t sent many to the champion chase if any, has he? None in recent years I can recall in the last 5. That will be mainly because with giggs they are looking at staying chasers so having horses transition from grade 1 Arkle types to grade 1 champion chase types is quite rare for him.

[Kevloaf]

I fancy Chosen Mate could improve enough to have an outside chance next March. Was a very easy winner of the GA and looks like he'll be kept busy again this season before trying his luck against the top 2 milers. I like him and he's a very backable price. Don't see him going for anything other than this race.

You argued somewhere TWAR is your first port of call, yet you pick a target of the QMCC for a horse being aimed at a Galway Hurdle.




This is from Elliott's blog before his last run.:

"Chosen Mate capped a great Cheltenham for us when he won the Grand Annual. He's a classy horse who I hope has some more good days ahead of him and we are thinking of aiming towards the Galway Hurdle with him which is why he is running here. He is in very good form and generally runs quite well fresh but he did get a break after Cheltenham and he is definitely going to come on from this run while he also has a bit to find on ratings with some of these."





I don't think he's up to winning Grade One's myself.

[Lobos]

You argued somewhere TWAR is your first port of call, yet you pick a target of the QMCC for a horse being aimed at a Galway Hurdle.




This is from Elliott's blog before his last run.:

"Chosen Mate capped a great Cheltenham for us when he won the Grand Annual. He's a classy horse who I hope has some more good days ahead of him and we are thinking of aiming towards the Galway Hurdle with him which is why he is running here. He is in very good form and generally runs quite well fresh but he did get a break after Cheltenham and he is definitely going to come on from this run while he also has a bit to find on ratings with some of these."





I don't think he's up to winning Grade One's myself.

As a punter you need to select TWAR carefully. Whilst they may potentially be targeted at multiple races, if you can only see them having a chance in one of them then back them for that. I don't see Chosen Mate going down the handicap route again at the Fez and feel they will step him up to graded 2mile class races later on so for me the Champion Chase is where he'll end up.

[Kevloaf]

As a punter you need to select TWAR carefully. Whilst they may potentially be targeted at multiple races, if you can only see them having a chance in one of them then back them for that. I don't see Chosen Mate going down the handicap route again at the Fez and feel they will step him up to graded 2mile class races later on so for me the Champion Chase is where he'll end up.

I dunno, 20/1 TWAR makes more appeal than 40/1 for a race he's far from certain to line up in for me...

I don't know how you can have convinced yourself he'll end up in the QMCC really.

[Lobos]

I dunno, 20/1 TWAR makes more appeal than 40/1 for a race he's far from certain to line up in for me...

I don't know how you can have convinced yourself he'll end up in the QMCC really.

Made my mind up after his easy win in GA and on the back of Davy's comments after the race where he seemed really impressed and said it was hard to know how good he is. I liked that especially as there is surely more to come from him over fences as you have to remember he was only a novice last season which makes his festival win in a tough handicap all the more appealing.

[The King Pimm]

As a punter you need to select TWAR carefully. Whilst they may potentially be targeted at multiple races, if you can only see them having a chance in one of them then back them for that. I don't see Chosen Mate going down the handicap route again at the Fez and feel they will step him up to graded 2mile class races later on so for me the Champion Chase is where he'll end up.

I can’t recall any horses that have competed in the Grand Annual stepping up to one of the Championship Races the following year?? Chosen Mate smashed the opposition at the last festivals GA but it was a clear handicap plot that came off, I think he’s had a moment of glory at the Festival and if he does return it will be in the Grand Annual like many horses who have entered this race and competed or won it.

[Quevega]

I can’t recall any horses that have competed in the Grand Annual stepping up to one of the Championship Races the following year?? Chosen Mate smashed the opposition at the last festivals GA but it was a clear handicap plot that came off, I think he’s had a moment of glory at the Festival and if he does return it will be in the Grand Annual like many horses who have entered this race and competed or won it.

Long time ago.

But Edredon Bleu did.

[The King Pimm]

Long time ago.

But Edredon Bleu did.

I did scan through results up until 2015 and couldn’t see anything. What did surprise me is the number of horses that raced in the Grand Annual a few times before winning.....Next Destination, Croco Bay....they tried a few times before success. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chosen Mate tried again next season.

[ComplyOrDie]

All this Chosen Mate talk makes Annamix an absolute cert for this race, Chacun Pour Soi....pfft

[Hardy Eustace]

All this Chosen Mate talk makes Annamix an absolute cert for this race, Chacun Pour Soi....pfft

hahaha all this talk is just a smokescreen. I could see Galvin romping home in the Galway plate and winning it so easily they fuck the second novice campaign off and go straight for a crack at the champion chase. Naturally, he'll take that in his stride, come back next year to win the gold cup and sign off his illustrious career by taking in the 2024 US presidential election. Horse of a lifetime.