What's the play now in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase?

The Queen Mother Champion Chase was expected to be the race of the Cheltenham Festival, but with Chacun Pour Soi joining two-time champion Altior on the list of late absentees, the dynamic of the race has changed significantly.

With Defi Du Seuil a very short-priced favourite, what is the play in the feature race on Wednesday at Cheltenham?

'Politologue appears to be the each-way play now'

While I'm a long-time fan of new second-favourite Dynamite Dollars, I'm increasingly convinced that Harry Skelton is going to make a serious bid for glory on Politologue. His mount was a sitting duck for Defi Du Seuil in the muddling Shloer Chase, there really is nothing for it but to stretch the favourite and see whether he can deliver his potent turn of foot off a stronger pace than he has faced this season. Even if Defi Du Seuil reels him in, he might well be the only one to. Politologue appears to be the each-way play now.
Keith Melrose, Betting Editor

'Politologue is the one who should enjoy the more testing conditions'

It looks very straightforward now. Just substitute Defi Du Seuil for Altior and we have a rerun of last year's Champion. Politologue will chase him home followed by Sceau Royal as the ground will not play to Dynamite Dollars' strengths. That is not to say it will not be an exciting race as Politologue is the one who should enjoy the more testing conditions this year and Altior beat him less than two lengths last year.
Bruce Jackson, Reporter

'He's highly regarded at Ditcheat and has obvious scope to improve'

The race of the meeting it is no longer, but the Champion Chase still has an interesting each-way edge with favourite Defi Du Seuil now so short. He should win, but there have been greater surprises at the festival, and the Paul Nicholls pair are primed to capitalise should he falter. Harry Cobden has picked Dynamite Dollars over Politologue despite the grey being 7lb better on RPRs. Indeed, Politologue is 3lb better off with Defi Du Seuil for their meeting over course and distance in November and was second to Altior in last year's race. However, his tendency to boil over in the prelims is always a concern and he's not one to trust. The fact Cobden rides the less-experienced Dynamite Dollars shows he's highly regarded at Ditcheat and has obvious scope to improve.
James Hill, Tipster

Champion Chase card

What they say

Tom George, trainer of Bun Doran
His fall last time was very uncharacteristic, but he loves the track and will like the ground. He's in good form and has form with a few of the others in there and Altior being out makes our life easier. His win at Kempton in the Desert Orchid on good ground probably wasn't his optimum conditions by a long stretch of the imagination, so I hope he can improve on that in this. He's been progressing well bar that blip last time.

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Defi Du Seuil
Our fella is in very good nick. He knows his way around Cheltenham pretty well by now and the ground doesn't really make any difference to him, but soft ground does suit him.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Dynamite Dollars and Politologue
For a horse having his first run for a year and his first run outside novice company, Dynamite Dollars ran an absolute blinder at Newbury. He was always going to need that race but he could be very interesting now. If the big two happen to underperform he could have a real chance. Harry Cobden had the choice and just preferred the younger horse to Politologue but he's brilliant fresh and we have purposely not run him since the Tingle Creek, a run you can forget. Before that he ran Defi Du Seuil close when trying to give him weight at Cheltenham, plus he ran a big race in last year's Champion Chase.

Alan King, trainer of Sceau Royal
He gave us one of the highs of last year's festival, leading at the last in the Queen Mother Champion Chase before finishing third, and I hope he'll run another big race. We were delighted with his run in the Game Spirit and he's had a straightforward preparation since. He's working as well as he's ever done and delighted Daryl Jacob when he had a pop over a few fences on Monday. But I'm under no illusions about the size of his task. This looks like being a tremendous contest, even without Altior with Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi.

Read more on the Champion Chase:

Chacun Pour Soi out of Champion Chase with a foot abscess says Willie Mullins

One key runner to note in each race on Wednesday at the Cheltenham Festival

Altior ruled out of Champion Chase after failing to recover from setback

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