Sport Question

 

As the feature race of day two, once the Queen Mother Champion Chase gets underway, you know you are right in the thick of the action at the Cheltenham Festival. The unrivalled racing meeting is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the sporting calendar, and the 2023 edition will be no different, as thousands pack into the stands at Prestbury Park to watch the races unfold.

With the Festival drawing ever closer, fans are beginning to analyse the 2023 Queen Mother Champion Chase with particular interest. It’s a race that could feature an exciting battle between Edwardstone and defending champion Energumene, who are both priced at 13/8 at the time of writing.

The Champion Chase is a race that has featured plenty of great champions over the years. As excitement builds for this year’s edition, let’s take a look at a few horses from years gone by who have excelled in the day two showpiece.

Badsworth Boy

We start with the most successful horse in the history of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Badsworth Boy is the only horse to have won the race on three occasions, and they all came back-to-back, in a glorious run of success from 1983 to 1985.

For trainers Michael and Monica Dickinson, and jockey Robert Earnshaw, it was a glorious period in their respective careers. Badsworth Boy made the Champion Chase his own for those three years in the 1980s, and his achievements are still talked about to this day.

Pearlyman

The success of Badsworth Boy triggered a wave of horses winning successive editions of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Pearlyman was the next to do so, coming out on top in both 1987 and 1988.

John Edwards was the successful trainer who guided Pearlyman to glory, while Peter Morgan and Tom Scudamore were the lucky jockeys who got to revel in the success.

Barnbrook Again

In 1989, it was Barnbrook Again who tasted the glory of winning the Champion Chase in two successive years. David Elsworth was the winning trainer, with Simon Sherwood and Hywel Davies the men in the saddle.

Viking Flagship

The mid-1990s were all about Viking Flagship as far as the Champion Chase was concerned. The David Nicholson-trained horse won it in 1994 and 1995, with Adrian Maguire and Charlie Swan taking to the saddle on respective occasions.

Master Minded

It took 13 years for another horse to earn successive victories in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. It was Master Minded who achieved the feat, and it will come as no surprise that the legendary jockey-trainer duo of Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins were responsible for the success.

The first win for Master Minded came in 2007, before Walsh and Mullins followed it up with further glory 12 months later.

Altior

Now we come to one of the Champion Chase’s modern heroes. Altior is one of the greatest horses of recent times. His dual Queen Mother triumphs in 2018 and 2019 are the main reason for his enduring legacy in racing.

The honours went to trainer Nicky Henderson and his trusted jockey Nico de Boinville, who guided Altior to victory in successive editions of the Cheltenham Festival.

We get to look forward to four extraordinary days of horse racing action between Tuesday 14th March and Friday 17th March. Consisting of 14 Grade 1 races spread over four days, we can witness the best jockeys riding the best horses trained by the best trainers.

 

Whether you simply watch the races or enjoy a bit of Cheltenham betting, you can witness history taking place – whether you make it to the tracks or whether you are enjoying it from the comfort of your own home.

The Style of Cheltenham Festival

Undoubtedly, the Cheltenham Racecourse is considered the Home of Jump Racing, and the legendary festival offers us some of the best racing in the world. That also means that many people dress accordingly.

 

Although there is no specific ‘dress code’ put into place by the Jockey Club, pretty much everyone that goes likes to get dolled up in their Sunday best. We mean dress and heels (obviously more for the ladies – or whatever…) or suit and tie for the gentleman. However, the best rule is to dress how you feel comfortable and dress for the weather. This is a day out to remember – and if you will be taking selfies, you want to look good!

Entertainment

As well as lots of horse racing, there will also be all sorts of unmissable entertainment to enjoy if you manage to bag a ticket. From live bands, to rock music and jazz, there’s music to suit all tastes.

 

The Main Action

Whether you manage to get a ticket or not, here’s a taste of the action you can enjoy over the four days…

Tuesday: Champions Day

This is where all the reigning champions and future champions get together, all ready to etch their names onto that star-studded wall – littered with names of Jump Racing Greats.

 

Tuesday is home to the Unibet Champion Hurdle, which is the most prestigious hurdle race of the year. In 2022, Rachael Blackmore rode Honeysuckle to victory, retaining her title for the second year… Can she get win number three?

 

The excitement as the day of action begins is palpable – and by the time they raise the flag at the beginning of the Grade One Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, there will already be 60,000 spectators ready to get involved… and millions more at home.

Festival Wednesday

The second day of action features the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, where it’s all about jumping ability and speed. 2022 may have been a wet day, but that didn’t do much to dampen anyone’s spirits as Commander of Fleet upset the apple card while the legendary Tiger Roll ran his final race. This is a stunning day of action.

 

Festival Wednesday delivers some of the most sensational sporting action. With the quick and classy looking to come out on top of the Champions Hurdle or the speedsters looking to take the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, the thrills and spills come in thick and fast.

 

St Patrick’s Thursday

This is all about Irish passion – as those Irish horses look to pull out special performances and aim to win races such as the coveted Prestbury Cup. It also features the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase – where stamina and endurance reign supreme.

 

Any Irish winner during the day will be greeted with roars of appreciation like no other – especially from those who have travelled all the way from the Emerald Isle to watch.

Gold Cup Day

The final day of action, on Friday, is the Gold Cup. The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup isn’t just the big event of the day… It’s the biggest event of the entire tournament, for horses, jockeys, spectators and bettors.

 

This race plays a huge part in the UK sporting calendar every year, with winners going down in history and becoming household names. If you want a ticket for the day – good luck as it’s always sold out quickly… but you can enjoy the action from home no matter where you are!