Our UK horse racing expert Neil Morrice brings you his preview on the Queen Mother Champion Chase (Race 4) on Day 2 of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. Read more below.
| No | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1 | Altior (IRE) | 2/5 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2 | Castlegrace Paddy (IRE) | 25/1 | Davy Russell | P. A. Fahy |
| 3 | God’s Own (IRE) | 33/1 | Paddy Brennan | Tom George |
| 4 | Hell’s Kitchen | 33/1 | Barry Geraghty | Harry Fry |
| 5 | Min (FR) | 4/1 | R. Walsh | W. P. Mullins |
| 6 | Ordinary World (IRE) | 40/1 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 7 | Politologue (FR) | 20/1 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 8 | Saint Calvados (FR) | 25/1 | Gavin Sheehan | Harry Whittington |
| 9 | Sceau Royal (FR) | 14/1 | Daryl Jacob | Alan King |
Queen Mother Champion Chase Preview
Race 4 – 17:30
Wednesday 13th March 2019
Grade 1 – 2m – £400000
ALTIOR will walk into the parade ring before the Queen Mother Champion Chase like a horse that knows he owns the place and rightly so granted the magnificent 18 Race winning sequence engineered by the imposing nine-year-old.
His imperious racing record that combines bumpers, novice hurdles, novice chases and Graded chases and Hollywoodbets make him a 4-10 chance to follow up last year’s triumph in this Grade 1 highlight for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville.
This season his domination in the two-mile division has gained further momentum, and when trouncing Fox Norton by seven lengths in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January the nine-year-old never looked in any danger.
His tendency to jump slightly left is u likely to be an issue if repeated, as Altior will be going left-handed over the two miles in what might be his final run over the distance.
Clear second best in the betting market is MIN who defends a two-race unbeaten record this season for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.
The eight-year-old hacked up from Ordinary World at Leopardstown last month to indicate that should Altior not turn up with his A-game, he is the horse that might cash in on it.
SCEAU ROYAL might be a popular order for the third place spot but is an unlikely winner whilst at a massive double-figure price the veteran GOD’S OWN could roll back the years as he likes Cheltenham and ran a blinder in this 12 months ago.
NEIL MORRICE’S PREDICTED FINISH
1-5-3-9-6
1: ALTIOR (1)
2: Min (5)
3: God’s Own (3)
4: Sceau Royal (9)
5: Ordinary World (6)
