2026 Champion Chase

[Eggs]

Current betting;

Marine National 4-1
Sir Gino 4-1
Majborough 8-1
Il Etait Temps 8-1
Jonbon 12-1
Constitution Hill 16-1
Kalif du Berlais 16-1
25-1 bar.

 

[Big Zeb]

If Willie can sort Majborough's jumping out he must have a good chance in this race. Marine National is the rightful favorite but I think he won an average renewal last year. Good chance we just wont see Sir Gino on a race course again. IET is just not as effective at Cheltenham and Jonbon has had his chance and blew it.

 

[Eggs]

…looks like Nicholls has this in mind for KDB;

‘He jumped beautifully at home before his race at Carlisle and I was mortified when he fell. However, he no signs of any ill effects for that fall and jumped as we expected him to when winning a novices’ handicap chase at Newbury. He then went to Cheltenham for anontther novices’ handicap and the way he won there left me with no doubt he was a graded chaser. The next step would have been the Kingmaker at Warwick, but the owners had L’Eau du Sud running there so we opted for the Scilly Isles at Sandown and for some reason ran poorly. Some of ours weren’t running very well at that stage and it was bottomless ground, and I think he wants decent ground. We wanted to give him time to get over that experience, so we skipped Cheltenham, and we went to Aintree for his first attempt at a Grade 1. He never saw another rival and simply jumped superbly. Now we only hope he can reach the next level, and the idea is to run in the Haldon Gold Cup in early-November, and I hope he will be lining up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham come March. I don’t want to over-hype the horse, but I have never hidden the high regard in which I hold him and he could have the chasing world at his feet.’

 

[Runragged]

…looks like Nicholls has this in mind for KDB;

‘He jumped beautifully at home before his race at Carlisle and I was mortified when he fell. However, he no signs of any ill effects for that fall and jumped as we expected him to when winning a novices’ handicap chase at Newbury. He then went to Cheltenham for anontther novices’ handicap and the way he won there left me with no doubt he was a graded chaser. The next step would have been the Kingmaker at Warwick, but the owners had L’Eau du Sud running there so we opted for the Scilly Isles at Sandown and for some reason ran poorly. Some of ours weren’t running very well at that stage and it was bottomless ground, and I think he wants decent ground. We wanted to give him time to get over that experience, so we skipped Cheltenham, and we went to Aintree for his first attempt at a Grade 1. He never saw another rival and simply jumped superbly. Now we only hope he can reach the next level, and the idea is to run in the Haldon Gold Cup in early-November, and I hope he will be lining up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham come March. I don’t want to over-hype the horse, but I have never hidden the high regard in which I hold him and he could have the chasing world at his feet.’

Yeah, is an interesting one in that division and certainly a strong case for being a much shorter price come March. I can see them going Haldon, possibly Siviniaco Conti at Kempton and then Game Spirit to get the experience, unless they go for the big guns in the Tingle Creek or Clarence House. Couple of concerns for me. First is the coming out of novice company and into graded which is never an easy step especially as two of his wins came in handicaps where he was thrown in. We can also use Brookie as a form line having run 2nd to KDB at Aintree beat 3 1/2 lengths but then went to Punchestown and was beaten 15 lengths by Majborough getting very similar RPR's for the two runs. The other is age. Will only be a 6yo next year and you have to go back to 2009 for the last 6yo winner, though that was Master Minded, also for Paul Nicholls, albeit he was winning it for the 2nd time! Voy Por Ustedes (2007) and Inkslinger (1973) are the only other 6yo winners in the history of the race (First run 1959).

 

[BigL]

Majborough easily best horse in race but can't jump....if he scratches up his jumping then he wins

 

[Lobos]

Majborough easily best horse in race but can't jump....if he scratches up his jumping then he wins

Completely agree. Monster if he gets his jumping right. Have to remember he is still only 5. Potentially massive improvement to come.

 

[Craigy14]

Majborough easily best horse in race but can't jump....if he scratches up his jumping then he wins

Agree with this, if his back end hadn’t gave way on landing 2 out he’d be the Arkle winner and short priced fav imo.

8/1 is the value in the race imo. Could possibly compare him with El Fabiolo in not being the best jumper but has some engine. Likely end up out in trip as he gets older.

 

[opatcho]

I’ve backed Majborough, purely on the fact that he jumped pretty well in the main, iirc missed third last, and made a mess of the last two

He’ll have more experience, but my main angle is the going, if it comes up softer then they’ll be going a tad slow and this lad will just power through the race. Comes up heavy, and he’ll do a Gaelic Warrior in the arkle and energumene in his QMCC wins

 

[Yosser]

I’ve backed Majborough, purely on the fact that he jumped pretty well in the main, iirc missed third last, and made a mess of the last two

He’ll have more experience, but my main angle is the going, if it comes up softer then they’ll be going a tad slow and this lad will just power through the race. Comes up heavy, and he’ll do a Gaelic Warrior in the arkle and energumene in his QMCC wins

This is probably the key point in regards to Majborough. He has a good chance in the race no doubt but if it were to be heavy going he would have a much better chance. Kalif Du Berlais looks like he travels well on top of the ground and is very much still improving so having both of them inside at this stage is a must IMO. There will be opportunities to get Marine Nationale onside as the season progresses and although I have ruled him out previously, Jonbon lurking around 10/1 is making some appeal as a book builder. That would just leave Il Etait Temps who is too skinny for me at this stage but that could very well be the full field on the day with a couple of rags thrown in

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Nicky on Sir Gino:

"He made a fantastic start last season when winning the Fighting Fifth and then was brilliant at Kempton over fences in the Wayward Lad, but he then suffered a setback that put paid to the rest of his season. The issue was caused by an infection in his near hind, and we don’t know how he got it, but he spent the best part of six weeks with the vets at Donnington Grove. We have had to tread very carefully with him, and we will adopt a softly, softly approach. One thing we know is that he can cope with the rigors of training, he has the world at his feet."

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Nicky on Jonbon:

"He has confirmed his place as one of National Hunt racing’s great performers and he is still only nine. He will follow down the same route as the past two years and will probably go for the Shloer Chase before the Tingle Creek and then the other usual targets. Hopefully, we have another exciting season ahead of us."

 

[Lobos]

Nicky on Jonbon:

"He has confirmed his place as one of National Hunt racing’s great performers and he is still only nine. He will follow down the same route as the past two years and will probably go for the Shloer Chase before the Tingle Creek and then the other usual targets. Hopefully, we have another exciting season ahead of us."

Doesn't sound as if stepping up in trip is going to happen anytime soon.

 

[Istabraq]

Doesn't sound as if stepping up in trip is going to happen anytime soon.

And that's important because if that is the case then it'll have been discussed/decided by/with JP, and that has massive implications for Majborough's season....

 

[ComplyOrDie]

And that's important because if that is the case then it'll have been discussed/decided by/with JP, and that has massive implications for Majborough's season....

Do you think it will?

Unless something happens to Fact To File I can't see a way Majborough defers from a Champion Chase campaign. Whether he's good enough, is the big question for me.

Jonbon can't be relied upon at Cheltenham, so naturally Majborough comes in as JP's main dart at the race.

Willie also only really has Il Etait Temps for the race too, so Majborough could end up being Willie's main play too.

 

[Black Dog]

Do you think it will?

Unless something happens to Fact To File I can't see a way Majborough defers from a Champion Chase campaign. Whether he's good enough, is the big question for me.

Jonbon can't be relied upon at Cheltenham, so naturally Majborough comes in as JP's main dart at the race.

Willie also only really has Il Etait Temps for the race too, so Majborough could end up being Willie's main play too.

This is a race JP has never won and has stated that he wants to put that right,so I'd be pretty certain he'd be happy to have two darts capable of landing it.

 

[Lobos]

Do you think it will?

Unless something happens to Fact To File I can't see a way Majborough defers from a Champion Chase campaign. Whether he's good enough, is the big question for me.

Jonbon can't be relied upon at Cheltenham, so naturally Majborough comes in as JP's main dart at the race.

Willie also only really has Il Etait Temps for the race too, so Majborough could end up being Willie's main play too.

Agree. Don't believe it'll have any bearing at all.

 

[Istabraq]

Do you think it will?

Unless something happens to Fact To File I can't see a way Majborough defers from a Champion Chase campaign. Whether he's good enough, is the big question for me.

Jonbon can't be relied upon at Cheltenham, so naturally Majborough comes in as JP's main dart at the race.

Willie also only really has Il Etait Temps for the race too, so Majborough could end up being Willie's main play too.

The Hendo quote you provided said 'usual targets' which has to include a Champion Chase.
I am firmly of the view Fact to File heads for the Ryanair and other horses will be slotted in around him, I can see Majborough heading for the Gold Cup if IKTWYT has a National on his radar.
Always plenty of chat that JP may well throw multiple darts at the Champion Chase but he didn't last year, or the year before, in fact I went back to 2010 (can't be arsed to go back any further) and he has never run more than one in the race, more surprisingly he has had far more years without runners in the race than he has had with runners so it shouldn't be the biggest shock that he's never had the winner, perhaps it's not a race he is 'all in' for ?
When you have two horses of the calibre of Majborough and Jonbon, both capable of winning a festival race, surely it makes more sense to be selective about where they go and hope you win with both rather guarantee one isn't winning.
Always the danger a hard Cheltenham race can leave a mark for Aintree too so flog a quality horse to place at Cheltenham and could easily end his/her season...

 

[SeanRock]

The Hendo quote you provided said 'usual targets' which has to include a Champion Chase.
I am firmly of the view Fact to File heads for the Ryanair and other horses will be slotted in around him, I can see Majborough heading for the Gold Cup if IKTWYT has a National on his radar.
Always plenty of chat that JP may well throw multiple darts at the Champion Chase but he didn't last year, or the year before, in fact I went back to 2010 (can't be arsed to go back any further) and he has never run more than one in the race, more surprisingly he has had far more years without runners in the race than he has had with runners so it shouldn't be the biggest shock that he's never had the winner, perhaps it's not a race he is 'all in' for ?
When you have two horses of the calibre of Majborough and Jonbon, both capable of winning a festival race, surely it makes more sense to be selective about where they go and hope you win with both rather guarantee one isn't winning.
Always the danger a hard Cheltenham race can leave a mark for Aintree too so flog a quality horse to place at Cheltenham and could easily end his/her season...

I read an interview with JP in the Racing Post a while back where he mentioned how keen he was to do a clean sweep of all the festival races sooner rather than later.

He name dropped the Champion Chase in particular…

I can’t see him having any issue with a couple of darts in March.

 

[Istabraq]

I read an interview with JP in the Racing Post a while back where he mentioned how keen he was to do a clean sweep of all the festival races sooner rather than later.

He name dropped the Champion Chase in particular…

I can’t see him having any issue with a couple of darts in March.

That may well be the case, but it'll be a complete change of strategy for him to do so...

 

[Lobos]

That may well be the case, but it'll be a complete change of strategy for him to do so...

Clearly it depends on how Maj season progresses but if he looks top class over 2 then out of him and Jonbon I'd expect the latter to move aside as he just doesn't show his best at the Festival.

Could just be that JP has never had more than one decent bullet to aim at the race ?