2026 Champion Chase

[Istabraq]

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

Possibly, but no-one has more darts full stop than JP so I'd be surprised if that was the case, if he was all out to win the Champion Chase then why not throw Fact to File in last season ?
Had the speed to win the J Durkin and was sent over 2m at Punchestown at the end of the season so they clearly believed he'd have the speed.
My guess is that they knew the Ryanair was a penalty kick and weren't prepared to give up a near guaranteed festival winner.

Worth remembering there is a G1 2m 4f race at Fairyhouse over Easter, Cheltenham doesn't have to be the be all and end all....

 

[Quevega]

Possibly, but no-one has more darts full stop than JP so I'd be surprised if that was the case, if he was all out to win the Champion Chase then why not throw Fact to File in last season ?
Had the speed to win the J Durkin and was sent over 2m at Punchestown at the end of the season so they clearly believed he'd have the speed.
My guess is that they knew the Ryanair was a penalty kick and weren't prepared to give up a near guaranteed festival winner.

Worth remembering there is a G1 2m 4f race at Fairyhouse over Easter, Cheltenham doesn't have to be the be all and end all....

He had the odds on favourite is why.

 

[Quevega]

Jp not had many realistic goes at the champion chase for obvious reasons.
Never won an arkle for one.
He’d have no issue running 2 or more if they think they have a chance and the season has gone accordingly.

 

[Lobos]

Can potentially add Spillane Tower to the mix now as well.

 

[Runragged]

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

Don't think his jumping is that bad. Might not be pretty but was generally effective. I remember plenty of discussion on it last year where he was hardly losing any ground at his fences. Re-watching the Arkle again, he basically bunny hops through the 2nd last before losing his hind legs on landing. A mistake like that would have wiped out most horses I suspect, especially that late on in the race. I suspect he will be campaigned at 2m and would have no problem picking up races in what isn't an overly strong division I feel.

Like KDB though, he would be a very rare 6yo winner of the race plus I wonder how many horses beaten in an Arkle go on to win the Champion Chase the following season? (Edit: ChatGPT'd it. Finian's Rainbow was 2nd in 2011 Arkle before winning CC in 2012)

 

[Craigy14]

Can potentially add Spillane Tower to the mix now as well.

He’s going 3m down royal champion chase if soft enough. He’s a 3 miler no doubt about it.

 

[Lobos]

Marine Nationale......


"He’s on track to run in the Fortria in Navan, depending on the weather,” he said.

“He’s had an away day at a racecourse and jumped a few fences and we’re very happy with where he is.

“He came back from the summer in great nick. I think due to the fact that he didn’t have hard races in Cheltenham and Punchestown, he went out in a very good frame of mind and he’s come in very well both physically and mentally – it’s all systems go.”

BC

 

[Wayward Lad]

He’s going 3m down royal champion chase if soft enough. He’s a 3 miler no doubt about it.

Ryanair if FTF goes Gold Cup ?

 

[Craigy14]

Ryanair if FTF goes Gold Cup ?

I don’t see why you’d move fact to file, who imo, is as close to a cert at this stage for Cheltenham. Strongest antepost fav for me. They won’t know about the gold cup till the day and also they won’t have Paul or Mark onboard (you’d have to assume being current gold cup winner and Galopins rider).

 

[Lobos]

I don’t see why you’d move fact to file, who imo, is as close to a cert at this stage for Cheltenham. Strongest antepost fav for me. They won’t know about the gold cup till the day and also they won’t have Paul or Mark onboard (you’d have to assume being current gold cup winner and Galopins rider).

They might know by then. Galopin may well struggle and so might this season's winner. In that scenario he'd go Gold Cup.........provided of course his season has gone to plan.

In short, no one has a clue at this stage.

I would say though, if GDC is on the decline then Willie will be very persuasive. It'll probably be FTF's last chance to win a GC as well at his age.

All completely up in the air. He's definitely no certainty to end up in the Ryanair for sure. I thought he was a certainty to run in the Turners but he went to the BANC.

 

[Lobos]

Ryanair if FTF goes Gold Cup ?

How about Spillane Tower and Jagwar Ryanair

Jonbon and Majborough Champion Chase

Inothewayurthinking and Fact To File Gold Cup



Beautiful split of JP horses IMO.

Lovely Ew singles, Ew cross doubles and ew trebles as well.

...........if only it were that easy.......

 

[Craigy14]

They might know by then. Galopin may well struggle and so might this season's winner. In that scenario he'd go Gold Cup.........provided of course his season has gone to plan.

In short, no one has a clue at this stage.

I would say though, if GDC is on the decline then Willie will be very persuasive. It'll probably be FTF's last chance to win a GC as well at his age.

All completely up in the air. He's definitely no certainty to end up in the Ryanair for sure. I thought he was a certainty to run in the Turners but he went to the BANC.

I get what you’re saying but that wasn’t what I was replying to wayward about.

He asked about Spillanes moving Fact To File which I would find very unlikely. They have the current champion of both races, I’d say that’s how they will plan it until something happens to change that imo. IF Fact To File goes back to the Ryanair and we knew that right now he’s as close to a cert in any of the Cheltenham markets imo.

 

[Wayward Lad]

I don’t see why you’d move fact to file, who imo, is as close to a cert at this stage for Cheltenham. Strongest antepost fav for me. They won’t know about the gold cup till the day and also they won’t have Paul or Mark onboard (you’d have to assume being current gold cup winner and Galopins rider).

I tend to agree, as I’m not sure FTF is a resolute 3m plus stayer, but think a lot may depend on how the season progresses for a number of chasers including the current GC winner, Majborough and Spillanes Tower

 

[Lobos]

I get what you’re saying but that wasn’t what I was replying to wayward about.

He asked about Spillanes moving Fact To File which I would find very unlikely. They have the current champion of both races, I’d say that’s how they will plan it until something happens to change that imo. IF Fact To File goes back to the Ryanair and we knew that right now he’s as close to a cert in any of the Cheltenham markets imo.

Absolutely yes. At his age though, it's probably his last chance of winning a Gold Cup as well which also makes me think they may let him have a go. I cannot help thinking that things sort of fell perfectly for this year's winner. Not convinced at all he'll do it again.

 

[Craigy14]

Absolutely yes. At his age though, it's probably his last chance of winning a Gold Cup as well which also makes me think they may let him have a go. I cannot help thinking that things sort of fell perfectly for this year's winner. Not convinced at all he'll do it again.

Yes agree on both fronts, think the ground went against Galopin 100%.

 

[Wayward Lad]

Yes agree on both fronts, think the ground went against Galopin 100%.

Agree - Galopin’s three previous festival runs over fences (two wins and a win bar falling at the last!) all were on officially Soft ground, whereas the 2025 GC was run on Good to Soft ground, which may help explain the huge turnaround in performance for the winner verses Galopin?

 

[Eggs]

….HDB re Quilixios;

‘He’s in good shape and we’ll look to start him off at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. He ran a huge race in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season and that is the race we’re working back from. He’s a very good horse.’

 

[Eggs]

MAJBOROUGH​

I'm very happy with him. He did nicely out at grass and came back in great shape. I'm looking forward to getting him going and we'll probably go for the Hilly Way, that could be a nice starting point for him. I'm aiming him towards the Champion Chase. I think he should be fine, I know he disappointed with his jumping at Cheltenham last season but I'm hoping with a more positive attitude he might jump better. He came back at Punchestown and flew his fences and we were very pleased with him. That's the direction I have in my head. I haven't spoken to JP [McManus] about it, but I doubt he wants to go down the Ryanair route with him. The horse will probably tell us around Christmas or the Dublin Racing Festival, we'll see what way he has matured.

 

[Lobos]

….HDB re Quilixios;

‘He’s in good shape and we’ll look to start him off at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. He ran a huge race in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season and that is the race we’re working back from. He’s a very good horse.’

Bit of a forgotten horse this one. Worth keeping on side as trainers record with these 2m chasers at the Festival is superb.

 

[Istabraq]

Bit of a forgotten horse this one. Worth keeping on side as trainers record with these 2m chasers at the Festival is superb.

Good shout that especially in a race that may only see 6/7 line up.
Very unlucky in his Arkle to find Robbie Supple have another bad day and was upsides the winner in last seasons Queen Mother, certainly looks a value play...