Queen Mother Champion Chase Odds: El Fabiolo is the odds-on Fav

The big race on Wednesday is the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase, which is one of the stand-out races of the whole Festival. El Fabiolo is the odds-on favourite but there are plenty of other horses in with a shout.

Betfred will be boosting a horse at 11am tomorrow, but for now let's move on to the Queen Mother Champion Chase odds. 

The Queen Mother Champion Chase sees the rivalry between Willie Mullins' El Fabiolo and Nicky Henderson's Jonbon take centre stage once again. It's 1-1 between the pair, after El Fabiolo won last year's Arkle. Who will win the deciding leg of the trilogy and pick up the added prize of Wednesday's championship race.

El Fabiolo @ 1/2

The seven-year-old is unbeaten since that loss to Jonbon at Aintree back in April 2022. Since then, the son of Spanish Moon has won seven on the spin, including four Grade 1 victories.

His last run was in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown in February, where he beat Dinoblue by 8½l, as well as defeating both Captain Guinness and Gentleman De Mee.

That run made it six from six over fences for Paul Townend's ride and it's hard to see him losing this unbeaten streak here on Wednesday afternoon.

Jonbon @ 7/2

Since beating El Fabiolo a couple of years ago, Jonbon has won seven of nine including four Grade one contests. However, his two losses came in the Arkle against the favourite here last year and a disappointing loss to Elixir De Nutz at this course back in January.

A bad mistake when four out can be blamed for the 2nd-placed finish a couple of months ago but he will be need to be right back to his best to even think about challenging Mullins' wonder horse here.

Edwardstone @ 13/2

This 10-year-old may have seen better days, after winning the 2022 Arkle on the back of five straight chase wins. However, since then Edwardstone has been the victor in just two of his last nine and has been beaten by Jonbon twice, as well as Captain Guinness and Gentleman De Mee in a disappointing period.

There were encouraging signs in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury a month ago though, with a change of tactics and made all in a dominant performance. Will Tom Cannon attempt a similar strategy on Wednesday?

Captain Guinness @ 12/1

Henry de Bromhead's nine-year-old is another high-class chaser, who was third in the Arkle in 2021 and second in this race behind Energumene last year.

However, Rachael Blackmore's mount ran abysmally when favourite in the Grade 1 Club Chase at Leopardstown in December and then finished over 14 lengths behind El Fabiolo in February at the same course.

Surely the Captain's best hope is for place money?

Elixir De Nutz @ 25/1

A shock winner over Jonbon in the Clarence House here in January, this 10-year-old Joe Tizzard-trained chaser is enjoying an Indian summer, with three wins in his last four races.

However, that win over the 2nd fav was achieved primarily through Jonbon's mistakes rather than Elixir's own jumping and he will find it hard to be in the mix again here against such a classy field.

Gentleman De Mee @ 33/1

Mullins second entry of the race is a two-time Grade 1 winner, including the Dublin Chase last season. However, Gentleman was 16 lengths behind El Fabiolo in this year's running of the same contest at Leopardstown and looks to have too much to find here.

Boothill @ 50/1

It's been an up and down season for Harry Fry's Boothill, who won back-to-back races at Ascot before falling twice when in a higher level of competition.

He was 10 lengths behind Edwardstone before unseating in his last outing, which gives you an indication of where he stands here.

Funambule Sivola @ 100/1

Bringing up the rear of the betting is Funambule Sivola, who is trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Charlie Deutsch.

The nine-year-old is in the twilight of his career, after winning two Game Spirit Chase's and finishing second in this very race in 2022. Since then though, it's been hard work, falling in last year's Champion Chase and finishing 40 lengths behind Edwardstone in this year's Game Spirit.

Find more Cheltenham Tips here at Betfred Insights.