The latest four winners of the Champion Chase at Cheltenham have been entered for the 2015 renewal. Sponsored by Betway, this year's race has attracted 33 entries.
The 2013 winner Sprinter Sacre has not run in a race since pulling-up in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park in December of that year but is set to return in Ascot's Clarence House Chase on Saturday week, January 17th. The 2014 winner Sire De Grugy has been suffering from injury this season and is due to make his comeback in the Betfair Price Rush Chase (registered as the Game Spirit Chase) at Newbury on February 7th.
Henry de Bromhead has three entries, including Sizing Europe who could make his seventh appearance at the Festival.
The tremendous chaser, who ran in the 2008 Champion Hurdle, took the Racing Post Arkle in 2010, won the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following year, was second in the 2012 and 2013 renewals and finished fourth last year. He recorded his eighth Grade 1 victory in the Punchestown Champion Chase in April and got the better of subsequent dual Grade 1 victor Road To Riches by a head when landing the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase for a fourth successive year at Gowran Park in October.
Sizing Europe turned in a rare lacklustre performance on his latest start when sixth to Champagne Fever in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on November 13th.
De Bromhead said: "Sizing Europe is well and in good form. We are just taking it one race at a time with him at the moment, but it is better to be entered at Cheltenham rather than not. That was our thinking anyway. He is in the Clarence House at Ascot next weekend but I'm not sure if he will travel over. It will all depend on the ground."
De Bromhead has also entered Special Tiara (25/1), who regained the winning thread with a spectacular jumping performance in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas and was sixth in this race last year, and Grade One runner-up Moscow Mannon (66/1).
The trainer added: "The Champion Chase is the aim for Special Tiara. He has come out of Kempton very well and is in great form. We delighted with him there - it was a brilliant performance - and it was great to get him back on the winning trail again. We still need to think about whether or not he will run again as I haven't given it a lot of thought yet.
"We were happy with Moscow Mannon in Leopardstown and he seems to be in good form after the race. He will probably go for the Champion Chase as well and I would be hopeful of a good performance."
There are 14 Irish-trained entries, four of them trained by Willie Mullins.
Nicky Henderson has three entries and, while Sprinter Sacre and 2012 Champion Chase winner Finian's Rainbow are among them, one of the ante-post favourites Simonsig is not entered. Unraced since winning the 2013 Arkle Chase, Simonsig is unlikely to run this season, says Henderson.
British champion trainer Paul Nicholls also has four entries - Al Ferof, Dodging Bullets, Mr Mole and Hinterland.
Alan King, successful with Voy Por Ustedes in 2007, has two strong contenders in Uxizandre and Balder Succes, while Cumbrian-based Nicky Richards may run Eduard and Simply Ned.
BETWAY QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
Grade 1, 2m, £350,000. Wednesday, March 11th.
Horse Age Owner Trainer
ALDERWOOD (IRE) 11 J P McManus Tom Mullins IRE
AL FEROF (FR) 10 John Hales Paul Nicholls
BAILY GREEN (IRE) 9 Adam Scott Mouse Morris IRE
BALDER SUCCES (FR) 7 Masterson Holdings Limited Alan King
BALLYCASEY (IRE) 8 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
BRIGHT NEW DAWN (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Sandra Hughes IRE
CAPTAIN CONAN (FR) 8 Triermore Stud Nicky Henderson
CHAMPAGNE FEVER (IRE) 8 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
CLARCAM (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
CLARET CLOAK (IRE) 8 Hawksmoor Partnership Emma Lavelle
CROCO BAY (IRE) 8 Lady Jane Grosvenor Ben Case
DODGING BULLETS 7 Martin Broughton & Friends Paul Nicholls
DON COSSACK (GER) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
EDUARD (IRE) 7 Eddie Melville Nicky Richards
FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 12 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
HIDDEN CYCLONE (IRE) 10 Mrs A F Mee & David Mee John Hanlon IRE
HINTERLAND (FR) 7 Christopher Giles Paul Nicholls
JOHNS SPIRIT (IRE) 8 Christopher W T Johnston Jonjo O'Neill
MODULE (FR) 8 Simon Clarke Tom George
MOSCOW MANNON (IRE) 9 J M Flanagan Henry de Bromhead IRE
MR MOLE (IRE) 7 J P McManus Paul Nicholls
NEXT SENSATION (IRE) 8 Mark Blandford Michael Scudamore
SAVELLO (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
SIMPLY NED (IRE) 8 David & Nicky Robinson Nicky Richards
SIRE DE GRUGY (FR) 9 The Preston Family & Friends Ltd Gary Moore
SIZING EUROPE (IRE) 13 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
SOMERSBY (IRE) 11 Camilla Radford Mick Channon
SPECIAL TIARA 8 Sarah Rowley-Williams Henry de Bromhead IRE
SPRINTER SACRE (FR) 9 Caroline Mould Nicky Henderson
TURBAN (FR) 8 E O'Connell Willie Mullins IRE
TWINLIGHT (FR) 8 M L Bloodstock Ltd Willie Mullins IRE
UPSILON BLEU (FR) 7 Raymond & Anita Anderson Green Pauline Robson
UXIZANDRE (FR) 7 J P McManus Alan King
33 entries
14 Irish-trained
Betway odds: 5/2 Sprinter Sacre; 11/2 Sire de Grugy; 8/1 Al Ferof, Champagne Fever; 10/1 Dodging Bullets; 16/1 Uxizandre; 20/1 Balder Succes, Simply Ned; 22/1 Twinlight; 25/1 bar.


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