The Queen Mother Champion Chase is one of the most thrilling races of the Cheltenham Festival, with the best chasers taking on Cheltenham’s fences at top speed. Ahead of the 2024 running, here is a guide to all eight runners in the race. Can El Fabiolo deliver another short-priced winner for Team Mullins, or can he be beaten?

Boothill: A winner of five of his 11 runs over fences, including two Ascot handicaps in the autumn under big weights. Has fallen in Grade 2 races on his last two starts, but the first tumble came too far out to make predictions about the result and he was going to finish second to Edwardstone when coming down two out last time. Needs others to falter now taking on the very best.

Captain Guinness: The closest the race has to a defending champion, as he was second last year behind the absent Energumene. Has often struggled against the best chasers around, he was beaten by Jonbon next time and by El Fabiolo on his most recent outing. It is hard to see him winning, but he is dependable and could pick up minor honours again.

Add to your Betslip - Captain Guinness

Edwardstone: A poor season to that point has been forgotten after he won the Game Spirit by 40 lengths last month. The big difference was more forceful tactics, and this slick jumper is a match for any of his rivals here when it comes to clearing the fences. Him finishing any better than third will probably rely on the big two fluffing their lines.

Add to your Betslip - Edwardstone

El Fabiolo: Unbeaten over fences and beat Jonbon by clear water in last year’s Arkle. He got the perfect tactical ride that day, and what his form is worth is up for debate as there are not many worthy rivals in Ireland with Energumene sidelined. His jumping is not always perfect, too, although a string of 1s beside his name tells you this has rarely held him back.

Elixir Du Nutz: Won a Grade 1 as a novice hurdler but it took him until this season for this enthusiastic front runner to flourish as a chaser. He is there now, having won the Haldon Gold Cup and a handicap at Newbury before downing an admittedly off-colour Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase. Probably needs similar good fortune now, especially with a lot of competition for the lead.

Funambule Sivola: Another who has given wan chase to Energumene in this race. There has been little cheer for this horse since he was second in this race two years ago, and on recent performances he has as much as two stone to find with the main players.

Gentleman De Mee: Tends to thrive in the spring, as he showed when beating Edwardstone at Aintree in 2022 and winning last year’s Dublin Chase. Yet to catch light this season, which may be him playing to his usual form but he was pretty flat behind El Fabiolo in the Dublin Chase so he has some questions to answer.

Jonbon: Unbeaten everywhere except Cheltenham, where he has bumped into Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo. Largely beat himself in the Clarence House last time, when a bad mistake four out might as well have put him out of the race. He did well to recover to finish a neck second that day. If he has recovered, he will provide the biggest challenge to the favourite.

**Jonbon has since been pulled out of the race and is now a non-runner.

Verdict: Of the 11 odds-on favourites in this race since 2000, eight have been beaten. It is a race where one mistake can cost horses any chance of victory, and El Fabiolo is prone to those so it is hard to recommend him at cramped odds for all he is the best horse. Jonbon is a better-value option who would have been deemed a safer conveyance but for his most recent outing. If that is just a blip, he has more chance of causing the upset than the betting implies. An aggressive ride can help Edwarstone reward each-way backers.

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