It’s almost time for the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, and whilst we still don’t know how this year’s meeting is going to pan out in terms of attendance and so on, one thing’s for sure, we will still be treated to a jam-packed four days of top-class racing.
So, as you scour the form guides and search for the best Cheltenham odds from Paddy Power, let’s take a look back at the last five winners of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. It might even provide you with some inspiration to help you pick your horses.
2020 – Politologue – 6/1
Last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase was billed to be one of the most exciting races of the four-day meeting, with a three-horse race between Cheltenham royalty Altior, Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil. However, the former both pulled out due to injuries, putting an end to Altior’s chances of winning the race on three successive occasions, and Defi Du Seuil set off as the heavy favourite at 2/5. But it wasn’t to be for Barry Geraghty aboard the market leader, instead 6/1 shot Politologue stormed onto an almost 10-length victory, with Defi Du Seuil some 13 lengths back in fourth. Given last year’s victory, Politologue’s name will certainly be doing the rounds when it comes to Cheltenham horse racing tips.
2019 – Altior – 4/11
2019 marked Altior’s fourth outing at the historic Gloucester meeting, and he carried on his unbeaten streak, even if it wasn’t a comfortable victory that he had become so accustomed to at Cheltenham. Before the race, the Nicky Henderson-trained horse’s smallest margin of victory was sixth lengths, but Politologue made the connections of the odds-on favourite sweat, and in the end, it was just a one and three quarters length triumph to land back-to-back Champion Chase titles.
2018 – Altior – Evens
Altior went into the 2018 Champion Chase as the even money favourite, and with one of his nearest competitors Douvan falling four out, he was left with just Min to compete with. The fierce foes took the final hurdle as one, but Altior stormed towards the finish in typical fashion and onto a seven-length victory, leaving jockey Paul Townend and Willie Mullins’ Min in awe.
“It’s good to watch Altior do that. When he pulled him out it he was electric, wasn’t he?” Henderson told the BBC afterwards.
“To find those gears in that crowd you have to be pretty good.”
2017 – Special Tiara -11/1
11/1 outsider Special Tiara caused an upset in the 2017 Champion Chase. Mullins-trained Douvan was the heavy odds-on favourite in the build-up to the race, but it was a poor showing from the gelding, who was later deemed to be lame behind, as he finished towards the back of the field. Instead, the Henry De Bromhead ridden Special Tiara, who was third in the previous two races at 18/1 and 16/1 respectively, stole the show, beating 7/1 shot Fox Norton by an impressive eight lengths, whilst 33/1 outsider Sir Valentino stormed home in third.
2016 – Sprinter Sacre – 5/1
Sprinter Sacre entered the 2013 Champion Chase as the 1/4 favourite, and he duly delivered, beating Sizing Europe by a whopping 19 lengths. And, after missing out on the 2014 festival, he was expected to put on a brilliant show in the race again in 2015. However, after a lacklustre few jumps, he was pulled up just before the last. Henderson entered him for the race again in 2016, but given his performance in the previous year, he lagged between odds-on favourite Un De Sceaux (4/6) in the betting at 5/1. However, he showed his class, finishing first, three and a half lengths clear of the Mullins-trained favourite.