The big one on Wednesday brings us one of the races of The Festival, as the faultless over fences Shishkin takes on two of the best that Willie Mullins has to offer. Energumene will look to exact revenge after his Clarence House Chase defeat and Chacun Pour Soi will look to put to bed the ghosts of his previous travels across the Irish Sea. This looks like it’s Shishkin’s to lose, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility for one of the Mullins’ duo to conquer the championship race of day two.

When you think of the Champion Chase, you think of the Altior’s and Sprinter Sacre’s, but it has thrown up a few upsets over the years. The mighty mare, Put the Kettle won at 8/1 last year and it’s not the first time it has happened over the last ten or so years.

• All ten of the last ten winners had at least seven runs over fences – Energumene only has six.
• All ten of the last ten winners had at least a Racing Post rating of at least 170 – all the big shots here have that.
• Only Sprinter Sacre and Special Tiara have won the race at the age of ten, over the last ten years – Chacun Pour Soi is ten.
• Six of the last ten winners won in graded company on their last run – Shishkin and Chacun Pour Soi have this covered.
• Only four of the last ten winners have been favourite – Altior twice in 2018 and 2019, Sire de Grugy in 2014 and Sprinter Sacre in 2013.

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – 3:30pm March 16th

Shishkin is currently 4/6 and certainly looks the one to beat here. It’s very hard to justify why Energumene can reverse the form following on from the race at Ascot. Shishkin made a couple of mistakes and still got the job done. Although, he left it late. He is unbeaten over fences and was exceptional in his last run at Cheltenham in last year’s Arkle. He destroyed the field and looked every bit a Champion Chaser. His record speaks for itself, so there isn’t much more to say. The only hole that anyone can seem to find to pick at is that the race in Ascot was one furlong further than the Champion Chase and if the Clarence House had finished at 2m he would have been beaten. Personally, I wouldn’t be backing him straight up, but he’s in the multiples.

Energumene – one of Mullins’ best prospects is set for his first trip to Prestbury Park, as he’ll look to get off the mark on British soil. He is currently 7/2 in most bookmakers, which does seem a much more enticing bet, given the fact he was only beaten by Shishkin by a length. But as mentioned above, Shishkin made a few blunders that day and still got the W. David Mullins was shocked he lost that race and said there must have been something wrong with him. He called him a ‘freak’ and Willie’s ‘best horse’, and he is certain that Paul Townend will ride him over Chacun Pour Soi. Besides that race, Energumene has been faultless over fences, but I just can’t see how he gets the upper hand here if they both run their races. Shishkin will hit his flat spot, just like Altior did back in the day, but he’ll power up the hill and crush Tony Bloom’s hopes of having another Cheltenham winner. Shishkin is Britain’s captain for The Festival, so for the sake of the Brits he has to win.

Chacun Pour Soi is currently at 9/2 and looking for redemption in this race and on British soil. With no big competitor at last year’s festival, it was Chacun’s time to claim the crown of champion chaser. But the Ricci superstar fell apart as he fought the Cheltenham hill, dropping to third place. To be fair, the greatest horse in running beat him, but we’ll come to her soon. Chacun Pour Soi is a bit like Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay in the regular NFL season. Can’t put a foot wrong. Electric. God like performances that leave fans marvelling in his capabilities. But when the pressure comes on and the playoffs come around, something just happens. He’s not the same ‘up the hill’. Chacun was also beaten well in the Tingle Creek in Sandown last December but was reported to be feeling very sore after the trip. He can’t be faulted too much if he had an injury, but Mullins was still very disappointed. David Jennings of the Racing Post is high on his chances, but not too many others are.

Nube Negra, Funambule Sivola and the former second coming Envoi Allen are next in the betting, but I can’t be having any of them, even if I would love to see Envoi back to his best. There is only one other horse to be focusing on for this preview. The mare that has given me some of my best Cheltenham experiences (waheeeyyy), the gamest chasing mare around, Put the Kettle on. Last year’s champ and the 2020 Arkle Champ is currently sitting at 20/1 and I’ll definitely be having a sentimental small each way dabble on her. She has been poor this season, but we all know she is a spring horse. She comes alive in Cheltenham. I know for a fact she’ll be there or thereabouts as they round the bend. She’s as tough as they come and doesn’t know when to lie down. Rumour has it they are naming the tearoom at Cheltenham after her…

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

• Jack’s pick: Shishkin 4/6.
• Dan’s pick: Shishkin 4/6.

J.

Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

• Jack’s pick: Sir Gerhard/Dysart Dynamo. 9/4.
• Dan’s pick: Constitutional Hill (Nap of day one) 2/1.

Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase

• Jack’s pick: Haut En Couleurs 6/1 E/W.
• Dan’s pick: Edwardstone 2/1.

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

• Jack’s pick: Honeysuckle 1/2.
• Dan’s pick: Head to the Mill House Bar, order a pint of stout and give the mare a shout.

Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

• Jack’s pick: Martello Sky: 10/1 E/W.
• Dan’s pick: Queen’s Brook 9/1 E/W.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

• Jack’s pick: Sir Gerhard/Dysart Dynamo. 7/4 & 5/1.
• Dan’s pick: Sir Gerhard/Dysart Dynamo. 7/4 & 5/1.

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

• Jack’s pick: L’Homme Presse 5/1. Beacon Edge E/W 16/1 if LHP doesn’t run.
• Dan’s pick: Bravemansgame 7/4.