Politologue team out to cash in with questions surrounding big two

Question marks against Altior and Douvan give this year's Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase a similar feel to three years ago when he won the race on Dodging Bullets, according to Politologue's rider Sam Twiston-Davies.

In 2015 Dodging Bullets beat a field that included two-mile chasing royalty in Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy, and with neither Altior nor Douvan having run this season, Paul Nicholls' stable jockey is getting the same vibe this year.

Altior, 11-8 favourite with the race sponsor, is back in training after wind surgery but may line up at the festival without having had a prep race while Douvan, last year's beaten favourite who had been ruled out of the meeting altogether, is back in the betting with an outside chance of making an appearance.

Politologue is 4-1 second favourite and unbeaten this season winning the Haldon Gold Cup, Tingle Creek and Desert Orchid Chase. Dodging Bullets also won the Tingle Creek and then Clarence House Chase before his festival triumph.

"It's a bit like Dodging Bullets' year when Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy were coming into the race with a few question marks," said Twiston-Davies. "Dodging Bullets was coming into it off the back of a couple of wins and it feels a bit like that again.

"We don't have bundles of pressure. He is a nice price without being stupidly short and yet he is coming in in really good form having hopefully had a nice prep. He is a strong traveller and a good jumper and over two miles they go a real honest gallop all the way, which suits him really well.

"As we saw in the Champion Chase last year any horse can turn up and win on the day, which Special Tiara did. You ride your own race, try to do the best you can and hope it comes off. Stays as well so the fact you have the hill can't do him any harm at all."

Politologue, one of 30 entries for the Champion Chase released on Thursday, finished fourth in the 2m4f JLT Novices' Chase last season but has improved over the two-mile trip at which owner John Hales enjoyed festival success with One Man in 1998 and Azertyuiop in 2004.

Hales said: "We are getting him ready for the Game Spirit at Newbury on February 10 and then, all being well, he will go on to Cheltenham for the Champion Chase.

"He has shown this season that he is a true two-miler, and not a two and a half miler. He has the cruising speed and tremendous jumping ability. I am sure the horse will put up a good performance at Cheltenham. Whether we are going to be a match for Altior remains to be seen, but it is a race to look forward to."

Altior is unbeaten in 11 starts over fences and hurdles and trainer Nicky Henderson remains confident he will be at Cheltenham on March 14.

"Everything is going according to plan," the trainer said. "We are on schedule. There is no decision on whether he will have a run before Cheltenham. Whether that comes too soon or not is another matter. He is in terrific form, he looks great and is moving beautifully."

There was less certainty about Douvan, but trainer Willie Mullins has eight other entries including Min, Yorkhill and Great Field, while defending champion Un De Sceaux heads the 44 engaged in the Ryanair Chase.

Mullins said: "With Douvan, we’re just taking every day as it comes and we hope that we can get him back.

"We’ve been happy enough with Min since Leopardstown. He ran well enough in the circumstances and he’s being aimed at the Dublin Racing Festival – there’s a Grade 2 race over 2m1f that might suit him there.

"Yorkhill got a little bang at Leopardstown but is fine now and as I said earlier in the week, we took him out of the Gold Cup and are aiming at races over shorter.

"Great Field has come back to us and everything he’s done so far has been fine. Meanwhile, Un De Sceaux is in good order ahead of the Clarence House Chase and we’re looking forward to running him there."

Charbel, who was half a length up on Altior when falling two out in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy, is also Champion Chase-bound, probably without another run.

Trainer Kim Bailey said: "Unless we get good ground he most probably won't run before the festival. He is an outsider but one with a good chance. Why can't he push Altior as close as he did last year, he's a bloody good horse."

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