The Queen Mother Champion Chase (QMCC) is the two-mile Grade 1 chase on the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival — the purest test of jumping speed in the National Hunt calendar. Irish-trained horses have won it regularly and it generates one of the most polarised ante-post markets at the whole festival.
Race Profile: The Queen Mother Champion Chase
Run over two miles at Cheltenham on Ladies Day (Wednesday), the QMCC requires both speed and jumping accuracy. Fences are met at a high tempo, so horses who make errors — even small ones — typically pay the price. The race tends to produce a small market with 2–3 horses dominating the ante-post books, then a wider field on race day of 8–14 runners.
Ante-Post Character
The QMCC ante-post market is one of the most volatile at the festival. Because the leading two-mile chasers are identifiable from Christmas, prices contract quickly once a horse wins a Grade 1 chase in January or February. The Clarence House Chase (Ascot, January) and the Dublin Chase (Leopardstown, February) are the leading trials. Ante-post positions taken before those races carry more risk but potentially more value.
Each-Way Terms and Field Size
Field sizes of 10–14 runners are typical. Standard terms are 4 places at 1/4 odds. Because the market is often dominated by two or three horses, each-way value on longer-priced runners can be significant — particularly horses with proven jumping ability who are second or third in the market. The race has historically produced at least one surprise result per decade. Use the each-way calculator to work out potential returns.
QMCC vs Punchestown Champion Chase
Many leading two-mile chasers return at the Punchestown Festival in late April for the Punchestown Champion Chase. This creates a rematch dynamic that the market sometimes misprices — if Cheltenham produced a narrow or contested result, the Punchestown renewal can offer genuine value. See our Punchestown guide for more.
Responsible Betting
No race result is guaranteed. This guide makes no specific selections. Plan your QMCC budget within your total festival allocation. For support, contact Gambling Awareness Trust at 1800 753 753 or visit gamblingcare.ie.
Queen Mother Champion Chase ante-post and race-day markets. GRAI-licensed. GRAI remote betting licence in force. 18+ only, T&Cs apply.
Bet on the Champion Chase →Frequently Asked Questions
The QMCC is run on Ladies Day, the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival. The 2027 edition will fall in mid-March 2027.
Fields of 10–14 are typical for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, though this varies. Field size determines each-way terms: 8+ runners usually attracts 4-place terms at 1/4 odds.
Key trials include the Clarence House Chase (Ascot, January) and the Dublin Chase (Leopardstown, February). Horses with Grade 1 wins in those races are typically at the top of the QMCC market.
Yes. It is a common route for leading two-mile chasers: Cheltenham in March and Punchestown in late April. The ground at Punchestown in late April can differ significantly from Cheltenham in March, which affects whether the same horse dominates.