The 2011 renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase sees the two winners from the past three years battling it out for favouritism according to bookmakers. William Hill price reigning champion Big Zeb at industry best odds of 3/1 alongside 2008 and 2009 winner Master Minded for Wednesday's Grade 1 race (3.20pm).
Colm Murphy's Big Zeb stunned odds on favourite Master Minded last year as he stormed home to win by six lengths from Forpadydeplasterer and the 10-year-old started this season in fine style with two wins from two at Navan and Leopardstown. However, he was beaten by fellow Champion Chase contender Golden Silver in his most recent outing in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown, after going off as 4/6 favourite, and he will have to reverse recent history as there has been no Champion Chase winner aged over 9 years old since 1997.
Master Minded will look to take advantage of that and looks to have recovered from last year's stunning defeat at Cheltenham Festival, where he could only finish fourth after being 4/5 favourite. Paul Nicholls' 2008 and 2009 Champion Chase winner had a breathing operation after last year's defeat and the 8-year-old appears to be right back in form - winning the Grade 2 Amlin Chase and two Grade 1's in the Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham and the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.
Somersby was just a short head behind Master Minded at Ascot and is one of the 11 entries for Wednesday's 2 mile race. Henrietta Knight's 7-year-old has form at Cheltenham after finishing third in the Supreme Novices in 2009, runner up in last year's Arkle Trophy and third in the latest Tingle Creek Chase. He can be backed at odds of 7/1 with Hills this week but is also among the 14 declarations for the Ryanair Chase.
Master Minded's stablemate Woolcombe Folly can also be found at the 7/1 mark with William Hill after securing four wins in five over fences. That one defeat came when the 8-year-old finished last in the 2010 Arkle but he has since dispelled fears over his ability at Cheltenham by winning twice there this season. However, he has never taken on the 'big two' in Big Zeb and Master Minded.
A horse who has tasted victory against Big Zeb is Willie Mullins' Golden Silver who is available at industry best priced odds of 12/1 with WilliamHill.com and could be a decent each way punt. The 9-year-old beat Big Zeb in the Tied Cottage Chase and despite finishing sixth last year in the Champion Chase he is much improved since then with four wins and two runner up places in six starts.
Elsewhere, 2010 Arkle winner Sizing Europe is a best price of 9/1 but is yet to taste victory in three races this season, while 2008 Supreme Novices winner Captain Cee Bee is a 10/1 punt despite nagging doubts about his ability over fences. Game Spirit Chase winner French Opera is another at an industry best with Hills at 20/1, while I'm So Lucky, Mad Max and Cornas complete the field.
3/1 Big Zeb*
3/1 Master Minded
7/1 Somersby
7/1 Woolcombe Folly
9/1 Sizing Europe*
10/1 Captain Cee Bee
12/1 Golden Silver*
20/1 French Opera*
33/1 Mad Max*
100/1 I'm So Lucky*
100/1 Cornas*
*Denotes Industry Best Price. All betting odds for this race have been supplied by WilliamHill.com who have a wide range of betting offers for the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.
Posted: Tuesday, 15th March 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: cheltenham festival, queen mother champion chase, master minded, big zeb, william hill,
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