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Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
Grade 1, Cheltenham 15:30
£400,000 added,
5yo plus,
1m 7f 199y, Class 1  
Wednesday 12th March 2020

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1 Politologue 6/1
2 Dynamite Dollars 7/1
3 Bun Doran 33/1
5 ran NR: Altior, Chacun Pour Soi Distances: 9½l, 3¼l, ½l
Time: 4m 10.03s (slow by 18.03s)

Politologue caused the upset of The Festival so far with an all-the-way success in the Champion Chase.
 
Trained by Paul Nicholls, the nine-year-old son of Politologue jumped with aplomb under Harry Skelton and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to record a nine and a half-length success in the G1 event over stable companion Dynamite Dollars. The 2/5 favourite Defi Du Seuil was disappointing and a well-beaten fourth.
 
This was Politologue's third victory in G1 company and Nicholls' sixth win in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, joining Nicky Henderson and Tom Dreaper as the winning-most trainer in the race's history.
 
The Ditcheat maestro, registering his 46th win in total at The Festival, said: "Politologue is best fresh and he is brilliant when he is fresh. He is not the easiest to train - he bled in the Tingle Creek and we had to change what we do with him, but he was very, very ready today. There was no other way to ride him. The other horse [Dynamite Dollars] made a mistake at the top of the hill - he wants two and a half miles - but it was two very good runs.

"I am pleased because it shows we were right about coming here fresh. I just can't wait for Clan des Obeaux on Friday now. It shows that, when they are very fit and very fresh, they are brilliant.
 
"I thought Sam [Twiston-Davies] was going to ride him all the way along the line and I feel for Sam because he has ridden some brilliant races but John wanted Harry. I didn't argue - Harry rides out for us - and I feel for Harry Cobden because it was a difficult decision. Dynamite will win plenty of races over a bit further.

"The race fell apart a little bit with a few coming out but it was his race today and he was very good. I am very pleased. I knew we were in the right place and I knew that he wouldn't stop. Harry was doing the right job and he was jumping brilliant from the front. I am thrilled with him.
 
"I looked in the paddock beforehand and thought he was a stand-out. I got him here fresh and fit and it's just worked out brilliantly."
 
Winning owner John Hales was enjoying a third victory in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase following on from the successes of One Man (1998) and Azertyuiop (2004) in the two-mile chasing championship.
 
An emotional Hales commented: "That was brilliant from Politologue. We dictated it from start to finish and Harry got it absolutely right tactically. In the previous race, he thought they had gone too slow so I thought 'make your own pace - if that means go from the start, go and run the finish out of them'. That is precisely what he did and I am over the moon.

"My third Queen Mother. After the bad news I had yesterday with my horse in the Arkle [Maire Banrigh who fell four out] - she is in hospital but she is going to be OK. She was cruising yesterday and I knew that she would have won that race but fate wasn't with us."

QuinnBet

BetWay Queen Mother Champion Chase
£400,000 added, 5yo plus, 1m 7f 199y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Soft

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1      Politologue 9 11-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Skelton 6/1
2 9½ Dynamite Dollars 7 11-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 7/1
3 3¼ Bun Doran 9 11-10 Tom George Jonathan Burke 33/1
4 ½ Defi Du Seuil 7 11-10 Philip Hobbs Barry Geraghty 2/5F
5 32 Sceau Royal 8 11-10 Alan King Daryl Jacob 10/1
NR 1 111-21 Altior 10 11-10 Nicky Henderson NON RUNNER
NR 3 /1-121 Chacun Pour Soi 8 11-10 W P Mullins NON RUNNER

FreeRacingTips

QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE ROLL OF HONOUR

Year Winner Age/Wt Jockey Trainer Owner SP Ran

2019 Altior 9-11-10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson Patricia Pugh 4/11F 9
2018 Altior 8-11-10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson Patricia Pugh EvsF 9
2017 Special Tiara10-11-10 Noel Fehily Henry de Bromhead Sally Rowley-Williams 11/1 10
2016 Sprinter Sacre 10-11-10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson Caroline Mould 5/1 10
2015 Dodging Bullets 7-11-10 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls Martin Broughton & Friends 9/2 9
2014 Sire De Grugy 8-11-10 Jamie Moore Gary Moore The Preston Family & Friends Ltd 11/4F 11
2013 Sprinter Sacre 7-11-10 Barry Geraghty N J Henderson 1/4 7
2012 Finian's Rainbow 9-11-10 Barry Geraghty N J Henderson 4/1 6
2011 Sizing Europe 9-11-10 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead IRE Ann & Alan Potts 10/1 11
2010 Big Zeb 9-11-10 Barry Geraghty Colm Murphy IRE Pat Redmond 10/1 9
2009 Master Minded 6-11-10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Clive Smith 4/11F 12
2008 Master Minded 5-11-10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Clive Smith 3/1 8
2007 Voy Por Ustedes 6-11-10 Robert Thornton Alan King Sir Robert Ogden 5/1 10
2006 Newmill 8-11-10 Andrew McNamara John Murphy IRE Mary Hayes 16/1 12
2005 Moscow Flyer 11-11-10 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington IRE Brian Kearney 6/4F 8
2004 Azertyuiop 7-11-10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls John Hales 15/8 8
2003 Moscow Flyer 9-12-00 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington IRE Brian Kearney 7/4F 11
2002 Flagship Uberalles 8-12-00 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs Elizabeth Gutner/Michael Krysztofiak 7/4F 12
2001 No Race (Foot and Mouth)
2000 Edredon Bleu 8-12-00 Tony McCoy Henrietta Knight Jim Lewis 7/2 9
1999 Call Equiname 9-12-00 Mick Fitzgerald Paul Nicholls Mick Coburn,Paul Barber,Colin Lewis 7/2 13
1998 One Man 10-12-00 Brian Harding Gordon Richards John Hales 7/2 8
1997 Martha’s Son 10-12-00 Rodney Farrant Tim Forster Paddy Hartigan/Michael Ward-Thomas 9/1 6
1996 Klairon Davis 7-12-00 Francis Woods Arthur Moore IRE Chris Jones 9/1 7
1995 Viking Flagship 8-12-00 Charlie Swan David Nicholson Roach Foods Ltd 5/2F 10
1994 Viking Flagship 7-12-00 Adrian Maguire David Nicholson Roach Foods Ltd 4/1 8
1993 Deep Sensation 8-12-00 Declan Murphy Josh Gifford Robin Eliot 11/1 9
1992 Remittance Man 8-12-00 Jamie Osborne Nicky Henderson Jim Collins Evs F 6
1991 Katabatic 8-12-00 Simon McNeill Andrew Turnell Pell-Mell Partners 9/1 7
1990 Barnbrook Again 9-12-00 Hywel Davies David Elsworth Mel Davies 11/10F 9
1989 Barnbrook Again 8-12-00 Simon Sherwood David Elsworth Mel Davies 7/4F 8
1988 Pearlyman 9-12-00 Tom Morgan John Edwards Valerie Shaw 15/8F 8
1987 Pearlyman 8-12-00 Peter Scudamore John Edwards Valerie Shaw 13/8F 8
1986 Buck House 8-12-00 Tommy Carmody Mouse Morris IRE Mrs Phil Purcell 5/2 11
1985 Badsworth Boy 10-12-00 Robert Earnshaw Monica Dickinson Doug Armitage 11/8 5
1984 Badsworth Boy 9-12-00 Robert Earnshaw Michael Dickinson Doug Armitage 8/13F 10
1983 Badsworth Boy 8-12-00 Robert Earnshaw Michael Dickinson Doug Armitage 2/1 6
1982 Rathgorman 10-12-00 Kevin Whyte Michael Dickinson J Lilley 100/30 9
1981 Drumgora 9-12-00 Frank Berry Arthur Moore IRE D Monahan 25/1 9
1980 *Another Dolly 10-12-00 Sam Morshead Fred Rimell Ian Urquhart 33/1 7
1979 Hilly Way 9-12-00 Mr Ted Walsh Peter McCreery IRE J W Sweeney 7/1 9
1978 Hilly Way 8-12-00 Tommy Carmody Peter McCreery IRE J W Sweeney 7/1 10
1977 Skymas 12-12-00 Mouse Morris Brian Lusk IRE Mathew Magee 7/2 8
1976 Skymas 11-12-00 Mouse Morris Brian Lusk IRE Mathew Magee 8/1 7
1975 Lough Inagh 8-12-00 Sean Barker Jim Dreaper IRE A Martin 100/30 8
1974 Royal Relief 10-12-00 Bill Smith Edward Courage Edward Courage 6/1 6
1973 Inkslinger 6-12-00 Tommy Carberry Dan Moore IRE Mrs M Jenney 6/1 6
1972 Royal Relief 8-12-00 Bill Smith Edward Courage Edward Courage 15/8 5
1971 Crisp 8-12-00 Paul Kelleway Fred Winter Sir Chester Manifold 3/1 8
1970 Straight Fort 7-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE George Ansley 7/4F 6
1969 Muir 10-12-00 Ben Hannon Tom Dreaper IRE Waring Willis 15/2 11
1968 Drinny’s Double 10-12-00 Frank Nash Bob Turnell Paul Mellon 6/1 5
1967 Drinny’s Double 9-12-00 Frank Nash Bob Turnell Paul Mellon 7/2 8
1966 Flyingbolt 7-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE Mrs Jean Wilkinson 1/5F 6
1965 Dunkirk 8-12-00 Dave Dick Peter Cazalet Bill Whitbread 8/1 6
1964 Ben Stack 7-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE Anne, Duchess of Westminster 2/1 5
1963 Sandy Abbot 8-12-00 Stan Mellor George Owen Mrs J D McKechnie 5/1 5
1962 Piperton 8-12-00 Dave Dick Archie Thomlinson Archie Thomlinson 100/6 7
1961 Fortria 9-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE George Ansley 2/5F 5
1960 Fortria 8-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE George Ansley 15/8F 7
1959 Quita Que 10-12-00 Bunny Cox Dan Moore IRE Mrs D R Brand 4/9F 9

*Another Dolly finished second to Chinrullah, who was subsequently disqualified after failing a post-race urine test

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