'He's been favourite for quite a while now and everything has gone well in the lead-up to the race' - confidence high in El Fabiolo's Champion Chase bid

The score between El Fabiolo and Jonbon read 1-1 going into the 2024 Cheltenham Festival and before the Nicky Henderson-trained star’s high-profile withdrawal on Wednesday morning, and punters are now very much in the camp of the Willie Mullins-trained favourite in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned El Fabiolo instead racked up a fourth Grade 1 win in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, beating stablemate and Mares’ Chase favourite Dinoblue by eight and a half lengths and recording a career-best Racing Post Rating of 179.

It was the highest RPR in the race’s seven-year history and only Altior has run to a higher figure in the Champion Chase in the past decade.

Mullins, who has won the last two runnings with Energumene, said: "El Fabiolo has been favourite for the Champion Chase for quite a while now and everything has gone well in the lead-up to the race. I was delighted with him at the Dublin Racing Festival and he was very good in last year's Arkle. He seems in good shape and travelled over well, which is great."

Paul Townend has been aboard El Fabiolo for all bar one of his nine starts for Mullins and hopes the seven-year-old, who has a perfect 6-6 record over fences, can confirm his dominance in the division.

Townend said: "He's been very good in everything he has done and is going there on the back of a solid win at Leopardstown. He's a two-mile chaser and lives a little on the edge, but he's a big brute of a horse so it's not a worry for me."

Mullins is also represented with the Mark Walsh-ridden two-time Grade 1 winner Gentleman De Mee. He beat Edwardstone in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree in 2022 and lowered the colours of Blue Lord in last season’s Dublin Chase, but this campaign the eight-year-old has finished second to Dinoblue and fourth behind El Fabiolo in two starts in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown.

Mullins said: "Gentleman De Mee has been running well enough and deserves his place in the line-up, but more is required here."

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King: Edwardstone faces different ball game to Newbury win

Alan King is under no illusions about the task facing Edwardstone, describing taking on the Champion Chase market principals as a "different ball game" compared to his recent Newbury win.

The Robert Abrey and Ian Thurtle-owned ten-year-old recorded a Racing Post Rating just 1lb shy of his Tingle Creek career-best when winning the Game Spirit Chase by 40 lengths last month.

Edwardstone: a 40-length winner at Newbury last timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Tom Cannon’s mount has more chasing experience than El Fabiolo but King has the utmost respect for the main rivals and would have preferred to see less rain on Tuesday.

King, who won the Champion Chase with Voy Por Ustedes in 2007, said: "Edwardstone is at the top of his game and everything has gone smoothly since his really pleasing win in the Game Spirit Chase.

"He was very good at Newbury but I'm under no illusions as taking on El Fabiolo will be a different ball game. It was unfortunate we had quite so much rain on Tuesday morning."

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What they say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Captain Guinness
He ran a cracker in the race last year and, if he returned to that sort of form, you'd be hoping he might have an each-way chance.

Harry Fry, trainer of Boothill
I thought he could outrun his odds but the rain that came on Tuesday was not ideal. We will have to see what the ground is like and how it rides as he is best suited by better ground. His prep has gone well, and while it’s not ideal to arrive on the back of two falls, they are the only two mistakes he has made over fences and he’s schooled well since.

Joe Tizzard, trainer of Elixir De Nutz
He's in good form. He'll need a lifetime best and a few to underperform to win but he's solid, jumps well and has won at the track so hopefully he can run well.

Read our Wednesday previews:

1.45 Cheltenham: 'It was an easy decision to run Ballyburn here' - this year's talking horse bids to walk the walk 

2.30 Cheltenham: Is stamina a chink in Fact To File's armour or will latest Willie Mullins hotpot justify the hype? 

3.15 Cheltenham: 'He has a real good chance' - top trainers on their Coral Cup contenders 

4.50 Cheltenham: 'He jumps and travels like the sort of horse you want for this' - insight and key quotes for the Grand Annual 

5.30 Cheltenham: Can anything break the Irish stranglehold on the Willie Mullins-dominated Champion Bumper? 

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