Champ faces biggest year yet as he bids to take further step forward in Dipper

Paddy Power Broken Resolutions Already Dipper Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) | 2m4½f | New course | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

He is the horse with the big name, a bigger reputation and this could be his biggest year yet.

Named after 20-time champion jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, Champ was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles but is already looking likely to surpass those exploits over fences.

He is unbeaten in two starts over fences, the latest coming at Grade 2 level, and is the clear favourite for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

And from his performances this season it is easy to see why that is the case. His victories have come at Newbury and the form of those two successes is stacking up nicely. He even overcame significant impediment when scoring last time out.

Such efforts mean Champ will be a warm order for this contest. However, trainer Nicky Henderson is all too aware this race is part of the journey rather than the destination.

“These are always tough races and with novice chases you are always learning and the horses are always learning,” Henderson said. “This was always going to be the plan with him after he won at Newbury and we know he handles Cheltenham as he was second in the Ballymore [Novices' Hurdle] last season.”

Provided all goes to plan, this will be the final time Champ does his learning over two and a half miles, with the JP McManus-owned runner set to step up in distance. The RSA Chase is the long-term target.

Henderson added: “It’s a learning curve and this race is going to be part of his education. It’ll be his last start at the distance as we’ll go up to three miles next time.”

Midnight Shadow (left): produced his career highlight on New Year's Day last yearCredit: Getty Images

The rivals: Can anyone down Champ?

If the old adage is true that you cannot be afraid of one horse, then the other runners in the line-up on Wednesday can be considered the brave ones.

The first day of 2019 was the finest of Midnight Shadow’s career so far, when he cantered to an impressive win in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle, but it will be fences rather than hurdles over which we will see the colours of his owner Aafke Clarke carried this time.

Trainer Sue Smith said: "It's been the plan for a long time to come here with him and he seems in great order. It's a nice race for him and he's been doing well over fences. We know he handles the course after what he did last year and we're looking forward to running him."

Challengers have come from far and wide to take on Champ, with Matfog making the trip from France.

Owned by Mohammed Saad Romaihi and trained by Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, Matfog will be ridden by James Reveley, who expects the test to suit his partner.

"He's got good form in France without being top class," he said. "He looks like he should be a strong stayer at the trip and the English style of racing should suit him as a result. His trainer is very good and thinks the race should suit him, so that’s encouraging.

"It's a tough race taking on the likes of Champ, but if he runs well I think the plan is to come back to the Cheltenham festival."

Deyrann De Carjac has already come off second best to Champ over fences, but undeterred trainer Alan King is taking him on again and is buoyed by the prospect of drying ground.

King said: "He seems in excellent order and the more the ground dries out the better – the forecast looks encouraging in that regard. There may be one or two too classy for him in this, but I hope and think he'll run very well."

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