Horse Racing

Jonbon Backers Beware Of Champion Chase Odds-On Favourites Curse

Andy Newton Sports Editor

Published11 Mar 2025

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There are several Champion Chase trends and stats to use ahead of the 2025 running of the big Cheltenham Festival race – however, anyone looking to lump on the expected odds-on favourite in the race JONBON, might want to think twice.

Also see Andy Newton’s best Cheltenham bets and hot stats for DAY TWO here.

The Champion Chase Has Been A Graveyard Race For Odds-On Favourites

JONBON is hovering just odds-on with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK. but if one of his main rivals Gaelic Warrior comes out and re-routes to the Ryanair Chase on the Thursday we can expect the layers to shorten his price even more.

This would mean he’s certainly to go off as odds-on for the Champion Chase and for many will be the Cheltenham Festival banker on day TWO.

However, there is a big word of caution for any Jonbon backers as the Champion Chase in recent years has had the habit of throwing up many serious shocks.

Six Of The Last Seven Champion Chase Odds-On Favourites Have LOST

In short – a massive SIX of the last seven odds-on favourites in the Queen Mother Champion Chase LOSE.

Plus, when I say lose – four of these didn’t even place, which also included two 2/9 shots in El Fabiolo (2014) and Douvan (2017).

It was only last year that the race saw the latest Champion Chase odds-on favourite victim when the big day two bankers El Fabiolo made a mess of the fifth fence and was eventually pulled-up.

Which led to a stack of Cheltenham accas being torn up and the best betting sites in the UK giving a sly grin.

In addition to this pair, we’ve also seen the likes of Shishkin (2022), Chacun Pour Soi (2021), Defi Du Seuil (2020) and Un De Sceaux (2016) all beaten when sent off odds-on for the Champion Chase.

Recent Champion Chase Odds-On Favourites To Lose

2024 – El Fabiolo (PU 2/9 fav)
2022 – Shishkin (PU 5/6 fav)
2021 – Chacun Pour Soi (3rd 8/13 fav)
2020 – Defi Du Seuil (4th 2/5 fav)
2017 – Douvan (7th 2/9 fav)
2016 – Un De Sceaux (2nd 4/6 fav)

Queen Mother Champion Chase 2025 Race Details

📅Date: Wednesday 12th March 2025
⌚Time: 4:00pm
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
🔄Trip: 2m
💷Winning Purse: £225,080
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV

See the full 2025 Cheltenham Festival running order and race times here

Does The Cheltenham Track Suit Jonbon?

As well as the Champion Chase odds-on hoodoo, punters looking elsewhere than Jonbon in the race might also be worried about his form at Prestbury Park.

The 9 year-old, who has taken his total career earnings to over £1m this season, is 15-15 away from Cheltenham, but only 2-5 at the Gloucestershire venue.

In fact, his only three career defeats have come at Cheltenham – when second in the 2024 Clarence House Chase, plus runner-up in both the 2022 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and 2023 Arkle Novices’ Chase.

Jonbon Career In Numbers

Age: 9
Runs: 20
Wins: 17
Chase Runs: 14
Chase Wins: 12
Cheltenham Runs/Wins: 5/2
Total Career Winnings: £1,113,787

Nicky Henderson Can Become The All-Time Champion Chase Winning Trainer

Jonbon Backers Beware Of Champion Chase Odds-On Favourites Curse

Even though there are several Champion Chase trends against Jonbon, on his showings this season – he’s very much all the others still have to aim at.

He’s won 12 of his 14 career chase starts and is a horse that is probably doesn’t get the full credit he deserves – a victory in the Champion Chase will go a long way to helping that.

Jonbon has also boosted his career winnings to over £1m (£1,113,787) this season after three more wins – the last coming in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, when beating the two-time Champion Chase winner Energumene (watch below).

This 9 year-old can also make trainer Nicky Henderson the all-time winner in the Champion Chase if he win on Wednesday 12th March. He’s currently level with Paul Nicholls and Tom Dreaper – they all have six wins.

Nicky Henderson’s Queen Mother Champion Chase Wins

Remittance Man (1992)
Finian’s Rainbow (2012)
Sprinter Sacre (2013, 2016)
Altior (2018, 2019)

Other Main Champion Chase Trends 2025

6 of the last 7 odds-on favourites have lost (over last 9 years)
25 of the last 40 had won at the Festival in the past
13 of the last 24 winners contested the Tingle Creek Chase that season
4 of the last 12 winners won the Clarence House Chase (Ascot) that season
Trainer Nicky Henderson has won 5 of the last 13 (6 in total)
22 of the last 26 winners came from the top 3 in the market
14 of the last 23 winners won their last race
14 of the last 19 winners had run in no more than 16 chases
41 of the last 43 winners 10/1 or shorter
30 of the last 38 winners were aged between 7-9
17 of the last 25 winners 5/1 or shorter
17 of the last 19 winners had run 2 or 3 times that season
18 of the last 25 winners ran in the previous season’s Arkle or Champion Chase
7 of the last 14 Arkle winners (previous season) to run have won
Dublin Chase winners are currently 0-from-5 (Solness, 2025
Only one 11 year-old winner in the last 46 year
Willie Mullins, has just 2 wins in the race (Energumene 2022 & 2023
Horses older than 10 – just 2 winners since 197

Recent Champion Chase Winners

2024 – Captain Guinness (17/2)
2023 – Energumene (6/5 fav)
2022 – Energumene (5/2)
2021 – Put The Kettle On (17/2)
2020 – Politologue (6/1)
2019 – Altior (4/11 fav)
2018 – Altior (Evs fav)
2017 – Special Tiara (11/1)
2016 – Sprinter Sacre (5/1)
2015 – Dodging Bullets (9/2)