Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)

THE Queen Mother Champion Chase is developing a reputation as being a graveyard for odds-on favourites, with Captain Guinness roaring back to life to cause an upset in a dramatic contest shaped by 2/9 hotpot El Fabiolo failing to complete.

With second-favourite Jonbon ruled out on raceday morning on the basis of Nicky Henderson’s concerns over his stable’s form - and with last year’s winner Energumene sidelined through injury - everything pointed to the red carpet being rolled out for Willie Mullins’ Arkle hero of 12 months ago.

However, jump racing is the name of the game and the old fears of El Fabiolo having a mistake in his locker came to the fore. He guessed and made a significant error at the fifth. Paul Townend, having seen his mount lose all momentum, felt it prudent to pull up, and that sent the race in a completely different direction than expected.

Edwardstone blazed a trail in front but was struggling to fully accelerate in rain-softened ground and fell at the second last. That left the strong-travelling Captain Guinness in pole position to go one better than 12 months ago, and he didn’t disappoint.

Having come back from a heart issue at Leopardstown over Christmas, he showed plenty of guts to fend off a staying-on Gentleman De Mee by a length and a half.

Captain Guinness had gone 0-13 in his previous attempts at Grade 1 level, but the Henry de Bromhead-trained and Declan Landy-owned winner finally got his day in the sun at the highest level.

“We’ve always said he deserved to win a Grade 1 so much, and to win this is incredible,” said de Bromhead after his fourth Champion Chase triumph.

Back to form

“He’s had a tricky season; at Christmas he had his atrial fibrillation. He has been fine since and passed all his tests - it’s great to see him back.

“Rachael is such an incredible rider, and as good as she is everywhere else, she’s even better here. Captain Guinness is loved around the yard. Sam Cotterill, who looks after him, says the horse has been trying to kill him for the last two weeks - he’s been bucking every day. He’s a legend - we’ve had him since he was four, and he’s a gorgeous horse.”

Blackmore, basking in the glow of her first Champion Chase, added: “I’m not shocked, because I thought his day would come but at the same time I can’t believe it came today.

“I knew El Fabiolo was out of the equation but there was still quite a long way to go. It does change your brain a little bit, but you are still just trying to ride from fence to fence.”

El Fabiolo’s departure came as a blessing to bookmakers fearing growing treble liabilities involving the feature-race favourite, Ballyburn and Fact To File.

It also continued a miserable run for odds-on favourites in recent years, joining beaten hotpots such as Shishkin (5/6 in 2022), Chacun Pour Soi (8/13 in 2021), Defi Du Seuil (2/5 in 2020), Douvan (2/9 in 2017) and Un De Sceaux (4/6 in 2016).

Mullins said: “Gentleman De Mee has run a cracker. I’m delighted for Henry, delighted for Rachael, and our fellow has run a cracker, so we’re delighted.

“El Fabiolo got very low over a few of them, I know he was a little bit chancy before, but I was very concerned, and then he jumped the last one good, but of course then he went on to the next one and just stood back too far at it and didn’t get high enough. Disappointing.”