Champion Chase – The Outsider

The Greatest Show on Turf, the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is only a matter of days away.

Yesterday we looked at the Champion Hurdle and who I think is worth having a small each-way bet at 50/1.

Next up, the Champion Chase

2023 Cheltenham Festival – Champion Chase

Unlike the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase has an open look to it even with Edwardstone at 7/4 favorite & defending champion Energumene in at 2/1.

Both met in the rescheduled Clarence House chase at Cheltenham where both were turned over by the Gary Moore trained Editeur Du Gite.

He is a horse that has improved beyond anyone could have imagined. Beaten off 153 in a handicap this season and has now won 2 Grade 1s on the bounce, but if I am honest I can not see him winning here.

He got the jump on Edwardstone last time out and now that they know what he is about and they will be more conscious of what he can do from the front.

But my selection as the outsider may upset him up on the pace is Gentleman De Mee at 9/1.

The stablemate to the defending champion Energumene, who I think has a lot to prove now after a well below-par run last time, may well be the one who will upset the top two.

You can write off his first two runs of the season and here is why.

Spring Is In The Air

Gentleman De Mee is the definition of a Spring horse, and that can be seen in his runs in February, March, and April throughout his career (5/7) which include 3 Grade 1 Chases, one in which he beat Edwardstone.

At Naas he was like a horse who should be having his first gallop back at Willies and not on a racecourse, and that showed in his run. He next showed up in the Tingle Creek where the ground was against him and again never ran his race.

He bounced right back to form at the Dublin Racing Festival where he made Blue Lord (1/4) look like an average horse.

He has a tendency to race freely which I don’t mind that because he has shown that he can win at the top level with that style of racing.

The pace of the race will be key and with the way he travels and jumps when in the right mood he could take some catching as you saw at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He has had one run at the Cheltenham Festival back in 2021 where he was sent off 4/1 fav in the Martin Pipe that none other than Galopin Des Champs, this year’s Gold Cup hope. He ran no sort of race that day, but don’t hold that against him as he is a much more mature horse now.

If he gets away from Editeur Du Gite at the front end, the sit back and enjoy, because on a going day, Gentleman De Mee could be your 2023 Champion Chase winner.

Outsider Selection – Gentleman De Mee 9/1