Can Chacun cause a shock? Our experts share their Champion Chase 1-2-3s

It's one week to go until one of the races of the Cheltenham: Shishkin v Energumene. The star pair are set to do battle once more after an epic at Ascot, but who will come out on top at the festival?

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase racecard and betting

Ben Hutton

1 Shishkin
2 Energumene
3 Nube Negra

Shishkin and Energumene provided the race of the season in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January and Nicky Henderson’s charge can prevail once more at the festival. There may not be much between them again, but Shishkin knows how to get the job done at Cheltenham, whereas Energumene will be having his first run there. Cheltenham brings out the best in Nube Negra and he can be best of the rest.

Paul Kealy

1 Shishkin
2 Energumene
3 Greaneteen

The big match of the festival can go to Shishkin, who can confirm Clarence House form with Energumene. The shorter trip may suit the latter, who looked to have Shishkin in trouble at Ascot, but Shishkin ought to jump better on a left-handed track and the long run-in is very much in his favour. With Chacun Pour Soi not at his best in Britain, Greaneteen can snatch third.

Gavin Lynch

1 Shishkin
2 Energumene
3 Nube Negra

We all might try to come up with different scenarios for how Energumene could attempt to turn the tables on Shishkin from their Ascot clash, but it probably won’t happen. Shishkin is a special talent and is easily the most likely to power up the Cheltenham hill to victory. Energumene is a class horse who should be good enough to finish second, while Nube Negra can stay on to pick up the pieces for third.

Andrew Mount

1 Shishkin
2 Greaneteen
3 Funambule Sivola

Energumene’s chance of beating Shishkin came and went at Ascot and it will be surprising if he reverses the form on a left-handed track. It looks good for Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old, bar a fall, but there are some good each-way or without-the-favourite angles, namely Greaneteen, Funambule Sivola and Nube Negra.

Chacun Pour Soi: can finally deliver in the Queen Mother Champion Chase says Tom ParkCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Tom Park

1 Chacun Pour Soi
2 Shishkin
3 Energumene

Plenty of time has passed since their epic Clarence House Chase battle, but there must be half a chance that race took plenty out of Shishkin and Energumene – for whom everything went right at Ascot and still he couldn’t win – and I am going to take them on, tentatively, with Chacun Pour Soi. There are question marks about Cheltenham, but it would be foolish to rule out Chacun Pour Soi after one poor run there and he is capable of producing monster performances.

Maddy Playle

1Shishkin
2 Nube Negra
3 Energumene

Little seems to be standing in the way of Shishkin becoming a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner. Chacun Pour Soi is exceptional but this track doesn’t bring out the best in him, while it’s going to be very tough for Energumene to turn around the Clarence House form. Nube Negra, an unlucky loser last year, can put in a big performance now freshened up.

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