Date: Wednesday 16th March 2022
The Champion Chase is one of those races where the obvious horse can still be vulnerable. We have seen enough short-priced turn-ups in this contest over the years to know that pure reputation is not enough.
You still want a seasoned two-mile specialist with top-class form, but Cheltenham experience, a strong recent prep and enough racing through the season are all major positives as well. This year’s race has a very clear shape on the ratings.
These are the three that come out best on the Turf Talk figures.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Energumene | 226 |
| Shishkin | 223 |
| Chacun Pour Soi | 198 |
| Put The Kettle On | 186 |
| Nube Negra | 178 |
| Envoi Allen | 171 |
| Funambule Sivola | 164 |
The ratings this year put big emphasis on specialist two-mile form, recent Grade 1 performances and experience at the trip. Horses without that deep two-mile chase background tend to struggle in this race.
MAIN SELECTION
Energumene (9/4 available)
He just edges the ratings and looks the right horse for this race on this occasion.
He has the specialist profile, the right age, plenty of two-mile chase experience and the Irish-trained angle that has become increasingly important. His recent form is rock solid and he looks set to peak in exactly the right race.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Shishkin (10/11 available)
The class horse on many people’s figures and the obvious danger.
He has the Arkle route, the Cheltenham form and a very high level of raw ability. The only reason he is not top is that this race can expose even the best when everything does not fall perfectly, but he remains a massive player.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Chacun Pour Soi (7/1 available)
Still good enough to make the shortlist despite a slightly less convincing overall profile than before.
He has the two-mile class and stable strength, but the race has already shown us that pure reputation is not always enough. Even so, he remains the best of the rest on balance.
SUMMARY
Energumene just heads the ratings and is taken as the main selection, with Shishkin the obvious danger and Chacun Pour Soi still respected on raw class in a race where the specialist two-mile angle remains everything.
