Queen Mother Champion Chase Entries 2026 - Defending Champion Marine Nationale Headlines 18 Entries For Cheltenham's Wednesday Showpiece

18 entries remained for the 2026 Queen Mother Champion Chase, the feature on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, after the initial scratching stage. Defending champion Marine Nationale heads the names on the longlist for the contest, run this year on Tuesday 11 March 2026, with Barry Connell’s charge seeking a third Cheltenham Festival victory in total this season.

A sublime winner of the race 12 months ago in emotional circumstances, the nine-year-old nearly made a remarkable victorious return when second in Leopardstown’s Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase after a terrible early blunder. That race’s winner Solness is also among the raiding contingent in the entries, as well as Majborough, an unlucky loser of the Arkle last season for Willie Mullins, with that pair finishing first and third in that Leopardstown contest.

The headline name for the Brits was Sir Gino, who has raced just once over fences for Nicky Henderson, but the six-year-old was scratched after picking up an injury on Trials Day. Henderson can lean instead on Jonbon, a veteran now at the age of ten, who was second last year after a mid-race mistake.

Joining Majborough among Willie Mullins’ entries is Tingle Creek hero Il Etait Temps. A winner of that Sandown Grade 1 in fine style over Jonbon, the diminutive grey also claimed the Celebration Chase at the Surrey track, though has a chequered Cheltenham record that would have to be corrected at this season’s Festival.

Further interest is added by Grade 1 novice chase winner and easy Shloer Chase victor L’Eau du Sud for Dan Skelton, as well as his stablemate Thistle Ask, a remarkably progressive handicapper this term who hacked up in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton. Quilixios, who came down at the last in the 2025 Champion Chase when still in contention, may also run having not been seen so far in the 2025/26 season for Henry De Bromhead.

There is also a place for a former champion as Captain Guinness was among those entered for Henry De Bromhead at the age of 11.

2026 Champion Chase Entries