Queen Mother Champion Chase Tips

The first edition of the Queen Mother Champion Chase came in 1959 when the Dan Moore-trained Quita Que took out the feature at age 10. It would be the only Queen Mother Champion Chase victory for both trainer and jockey Bunny Cox. 

Since then, there have been many dual champions of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. A total of 12 horses have won the race more than once, including Badsworth Boy which scored three consecutive wins from 1983-1985. 

No horse has been able to repeat the feats of Badsworth Boy, who was trained by Michael Dickinson and ridden by Robert Earnshaw in all three victories. 

Originally called the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase, the Queen Mother Champion Chase was given its current title in 1980 – the year of the Queen Mother’s 80th birthday – and it was given as a recognition of her support of jumps racing. 

The Queen Mother finished second in the race with Game Spirit in 1976. 

Having gone without a sponsor for many years, Sportingbet took over in 2011 and it’s currently sponsored by online bookmaker Betway. 

Trainer Tom Dreaper holds the record for most wins with six. He was successful with Fortia, Ben Stack, Flying Bolt, Muir and Straight Fort. 

Two jockeys have shared five wins a piece. Pat Taaffe was successful aboard most of Tom Dreapers’ winners and fellow jockey Barry Geraghty has had the most recent success. 

Punters have made a killing off Geraghty in recent times with wins aboard Moscow Flyer, Big Zeb, Finian’s Rainbow and Sprinter Sacre. 

Trainer Nicky Henderson has had plenty of recent success with wins coming from Finian’s Rainbow, Sprinter Sacre and Altior. 

Altior was due to go for a hat-trick of victories in 2020, but injury ruled Nicky Henderson's star out the day before the race. Defi Du Seuil then went off as the odds-on favourite, but he was upstaged by Politologue, who made all to claim a famous victory for Paul Nichols and jubilant owner, John Hales.