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Cheltenham Festival: BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase Tips

History is against BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite Majborough.

At just six years old he bids to defy a powerful trend on Day Two of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival’s, as the youngest winner in the last decade of Style Wednesday’s feature race was seven.

It is, though, a two-mile race for the speedsters; the ultimate test of jumping at a fast pace.

Ireland has won each of the last five with the last British-trained winner Politologue all the way back in 2020.

A field of 10 has been declared for this year’s renewal and the great Willie Mullins could be set for a return to winning in this race, having last come out on top with Energumene in 2023.

Don’t forget to visit the BetMGM Cheltenham Festival Hub for all the latest odds, offers and tips as well as race day profiles and more.

Mullins’ race to lose?

Mullins has won this race twice before – both successes provided by Energumene in 2022 and 2023.

The Irish trainer’s dominance hasn’t really been reflected in this race but he looks well set to add winner number three to his list this time around.

He trains favourite Majborough (5/6 fav) and multiple Group 1-winning chaser Il Etait Temps (9/2), who is much better than he showed last time out.

It’s difficult to see anything else winning the race but Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud (9/2) is a leading candidate according to the market.

Henry de Bromhead’s Quilixios (9/1) makes his first start since falling in this race last year but is fairly difficult to fancy after a year off the track.

It’s definitely interesting that Irish Panther runs here rather than in the Arkle but that suggests connections think this is possibly a better opportunity than the novice race this year – and they may well have a point.

Captain Guinness (40/1), Found A Fifty (40/1), Saint Segal (50/1), Libberty Hunter (66/1) and Brookie (100/1) make up the rest of the field and, despite the fact that the former was a fortuitous winner of this race in 2024, the outsiders seem to have their work cut out for them here.

Selection: Majborough @ 5/6

Mullins’ Majborough produced an excellent performance to win the Triumph Hurdle at this meeting in 2024 and probably should have won the Arkle over course and distance last term.

His jumping let him down on that occasion and even one fewer mistake could’ve changed the result.

He never really looked comfortable on his seasonal debut in the Hilly Way Chase and jumped to his left on several occasions, while also making mistakes at the business end of the race. Too keen at Leopardstown over Christmas, his jumping let him down that day too.

We saw a completely different horse in the Dublin Chase last time out, however, and a repeat performance would make him very hard to beat.

Positive tactics were successfully employed and the cheekpieces worked a treat. It’s not a hugely competitive renewal so victory is anticipated.

Next Best: Il Etait Temps @ 9/2

Mullins’ other runner is the most interesting alternative, as the talented grey Il Etait Temps has already won multiple Grade 1 races over this sort of trip.

He does have to put an uncharacteristically poor display behind him but it’s very easy to forgive one bad run.

Il Etait Temps returned from almost a year off to win the Celebration Chase impressively at Sandown in April and the small but brave gelding followed up in the Clonmel Oil Chase on seasonal debut.

Returning to Sandown for the Tingle Creek next time, he easily dispatched Jonbon and L’Eau Du Sud.

A return to that level of form would surely give the eight-year-old every chance and stable jockey Paul Townend is on board, which is always a bonus.

Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change

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