Find out where to focus on during the build-up to Cheltenham, if you’re hoping to spot a future Champion Chase winner – including how many races they run in.
As the feature race of Day 2 at the Cheltenham Festival, the Champion Chase is one of the biggest and best races held at the event. With some of the best chasers from across Britain and Ireland taking on this challenge, it can produce one of the best spectacles of the entire week. But what does it take to make a Champion Chase winner?
The following blog explores the races that can be truly considered Champion Chase trials, and help create future names for the history books. However, if you want to view the expected Queen Mother Champion Chase runners, you can have a look through the Cheltenham betting odds first!
Where do Champion Chase winners compete before Cheltenham?
When looking into the races that Champion Chase winners have competed in regularly before championing the event, there are a handful of events that consistently come up.
Clarence House Chase
Over the course of both the last decade and the last five years, it appears to be an important Champion Chase trend that winners competed in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in the same season: in the last five years, Champion Chase winners have also competed in the Clarence House Chase on three occasions, with this upping to five when looking at the previous ten winners.
Though winners may have competed in the event, they don’t necessarily have to place first. Altior took first in both 2018 and 2019, while Energumene finished second in 2022 and third in 2023, but both won the Champion Chase back-to-back.
The Clarence House Chase is set to take place on Saturday 23rd January 2027 at Ascot Racecourse this season.
Tingle Creek Chase
Similarly to the Clarence House Chase, the Tingle Creek Chase is another that features frequently in previous winners’ preparations for the Champion Chase. Though it has only been competed in by one of the last five Champion Chase victors, the Tingle Creek Chase has been run in by three of the last eight winners, including two-time winner Altior.
Again, however, horses don’t need to win here to see victory in the Champion Chase, with 2020 winner Politologue finishing in fifth place. With this being his last race before competing in the Champion Chase too, it shows that form isn’t the only factor to consider.
Make sure to catch the action in the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday 5th December 2026 to view some potential Champion Chase candidates!
Paddy’s Rewards Chase
Hosted at Leopardstown Racecourse annually in December, the Paddy’s Rewards Chase also crops up as an event that would-be Champion Chase winners often compete in. Victors of the Champion Chase have competed in the Paddy Rewards Chase twice in the last three years and three times in the last six.
The three recent Champion Chase winning horses to have run in this event are 2025 winner Marine National, 2024 winner Captain Guinness, and 2021 winner Put The Kettle On. While Marine National and Put The Kettle On finished in third, Captain Guinness pulled up, again showing that future Champion Chase winners don’t have to win here.
To catch the next contenders, tune in for the race on Sunday 27th December 2026.
Cheltenham Chase
Historically, Champion Chase winners have tended to compete in the Cheltenham Chase, held early in the season. Between 2017 and 2021, winners competed here on three occasions (Special Tiara, 2017, Politologue, 2020, and Put The Kettle On, 2021); though this race has failed to turn out a future champ more recently.
That said, it’s still a race that’s result could be worth paying attention to: the Cheltenham Chase took place on 13th November, with 2025 Champion Chase runner-up Jonbon entering as favourite and finishing as the race winner.
Are there any other races that Champion Chase winners compete in?
Yes, there are a few other races that some Champion Chase winners have competed in that are also of note.
Though it only happened once, the Barberstown Castle Chase could be one to know the result of. In 2024, Marine Nationale placed second before going on to win the Champion Chase in 2025. This racing season saw Irish Panther claim victory in the event ahead of Kopek des Bordes, causing the latest Champion Chase odds to shift.
Other events such as the Hilly Way Chase have also seen same-season-Champion-Chase-winners competing, with Energumene racing here prior to his 2022 and 2023 wins. Then the Desert Orchid Chase saw Special Tiara (2017) and Altior (2019) run in the event ahead of their respective Champion Chase victories.
How many jump season races do Champion Chase winners compete in?
Taking a look at the last five years of Champion Chase winners, we can see that they often compete in three races ahead of the event. This has been the case for the previous three winners, Il Etait Temps, Marine Nationale, and Captain Guinness, with Energumene’s victories in 2022 and 2023 only seeing two races prior.
How do Champion Chase winners get on before Cheltenham?
Across the last decade, winners often enter Cheltenham Festival in good form, with top three finishes being most common among the eventual victors.
Across this period, Champion Chase winners only failed to finish in the top three in prior races on four occasions, with Special Tiara (2017) placing fifth in the Clarence House Chase, Politologue (2020) placing fifth in the Tingle Creek Chase, Captain Guinness (2024) pulling up in the Paddy’s Rewards, and Il Etait Temps (2026) falling in the Clarence House Chase.
This means that if you’re planning on betting on the Champion Chase, history would tell you that good form is common among previous winners.
How to bet on the Champion Chase with Betway
Here at Betway, betting on the Champion Chase is simple. At the moment, we’re offering ante post odds on all the key Cheltenham Festival races. So, simply head over to our horse racing betting page or view our guide to Champion Chase betting.
In the meantime, explore our 4-to-Win offer, a free-to-play horse predictor game that offers real cash prizes!
