Cheltenham Festival: Energumene, Edwardstone and Editeur Du Gite among the seven super declared for Champion Chase | Race News

Defending champion Energumene will face six rivals within the Betway Queen Mom Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

The nine-year-old gave Willie Mullins the ultimate piece of his large race jigsaw at Prestbury Park final yr when lighting up a depressing day two of the Pageant and is Closutton’s sole consultant on the second day.

Though he adopted up Cheltenham’s success final yr with spectacular victories each on the Punchestown Pageant and when he reappeared within the Hilly Means in Cork, he failed to attract as he did was solely third within the revamped Clarence Home Chase on the day of the Pageant trials.

That day was the re-opposition Gite Editor and Alan King Edwardstone who battled to an exhilarating closing, however rowdyJockey Paul Townend now is aware of precisely what it takes to show the tide.

“The Clarence Home Chase was a giant indicator for the Champion Chase,” he informed Ladbrokes. “I feel we vastly underperformed that day and I wasn’t pleased when he spun on the high of the hill.

“I do not suppose Writer Du Gite will handle to get by right here and I can see him getting caught extra on the opposite monitor at Cheltenham.

“I assumed Edwardstone most likely got here out of the Clarence Home Chase with essentially the most credit score although he did not win.

“We realized rather a lot from this race and we all know what Energumene is able to.”

The Clarence Home winner, Editeur Du Gite, will probably be trying to give Gary Moore his second win within the race and is a primary Champion Chase race for Niall Houlihan, whereas Edwardstone misplaced maybe by the narrowest of margins on the day trials, however nonetheless did sufficient for the bookmakers to make final yr’s hero Arkle their favourite of the race.

Venetia Williams’ Sivole tightrope walker was eight and a half lengths behind Energumene 12 months in the past and returns to Prestbury Park in first rate order after bouncing again to one thing near his finest within the Spirit Recreation at Newbury.

Dan Skelton is prone to be looking out for the climate for Nube Negra however nonetheless declared his good floor love nine-year-old who missed the race final yr when circumstances turned making an attempt on day two, however was a Put The Kettle On runner-up in 2021.

by Paul Nichols Greeneteen completed fourth on that event and is one other Champion Chase return to motion after skipping the 2022 race, whereas the seven-man discipline is rounded out by an Irish raider Captain Guinnesswho tries to supply Henry de Bromhead a fourth victory within the race.