Dodging Bullets saw off the favourites to win today’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
Repeats
Two former winners had lined up today, with fans of Sprinter Sacre (the 2013 winner) and Sire De Grugy (2014) both hoping for a repeat win.
Both have had time off through injury and needed a return to their best to claim the valuable Grade 1 steeplechase.
But today Sire De Grugy had to settle for fourth place, while Sprinter Sacre was pulled up before the final fence, leaving the seven-year-old Dodging Bullets to take the title under jockey Sam Twiston-Davies.
Sentiment
“I know the other two were past champions but I couldn’t see why they were behind us in the betting, it must have been on sentiment,” said the horse’s trainer Paul Nicholls. “Dodging Bullets was the progressive young horse and it’s them that usually come out on top, he should have been favourite on form.”
Dodging Bullets was bred by former champion Flat jockey Frankie Dettori, who was at Cheltenham to witness the victory. “He didn’t make very much as a yearling as his legs were pointing in the wrong direction although they got better with time,” he said. “He was bred to win the Derby but this is second best. You have to give credit to Dodging Bullets, he did all the work.”
Nicholls takes three
While yesterday was a day for the Irish, today it was all about the Brits with champion trainer Paul Nicholls claiming a three-timer. As well as winning the Queen Mother Champions Chase with Dodging Bullets, Nicholls also won the Coral Cup with Aux Ptits Soins – another with Sam Twiston-Davies in the plate – while a third win came in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, with Qualando winning under jockey Nick Scholfield.
Davy Russell scored two wins on day two of the Festival, winning the opening race of the day on Windsor Park and taking the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase on Rivage D’Or.
After his four-timer yesterday, Willie Mullins had yet another taste of Cheltenham success today with a win in the RSA Chase thanks to Don Poli (Bryan Cooper), while 9/2 favourite Moon Racer took the Champion Bumper for David Pipe and Tom Scudamore.
Tomorrow’s feature race is the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, a 3m race for staying hurdlers.