El Fabiolo strains up as favorite for the Cheltenham Champion Chase

The Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo strains up as one of many shortest-priced favourites on the 2024 Cheltenham Pageant (12-15 March).

The seven-year-old son of Spanish Moon is unbeaten over fences and his solely defeat since arriving from France in 2021 got here to the all-conquering Jonbon, the place he missed out by only a neck, within the Grade One Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. El Fabiolo and common jockey Paul Townend received the Arkle eventually 12 months’s Cheltenham Pageant.

He strains up for Wednesday’s characteristic race on the Cheltenham Pageant, the Betway Champion Chase, the place he meets previous adversary Jonbon, Edwardstone, and a number of different star two-mile chasers.

“He was superb when profitable the Dublin Racing Pageant Champion Chase [in February],” says coach Willie Mullins. “I believed the most effective bit of labor that [stable-mate] Dinoblue ever did was the week earlier than the Dublin Racing Pageant and I felt if El Fabiolo missed a beat someplace, that mare could be on high of him. However El Fabiolo didn’t miss a beat, he was simply so good.

“Lots of people would have thought he’d be that good anyway, however I didn’t after I noticed Dinoblue work. I believed he was going to should be in some order to beat her. To beat her the way in which he did [by eight and a half lengths], that tells you ways good he’s, however I simply hope he hasn’t peaked too quickly for the season.

“El Fabiolo’s prep runs this 12 months have been superb,” continued Willie. “If he can reproduce them and have a transparent spherical within the Champion Chase, he’ll be the one on the high of the market.”

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H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her position as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her all over the world reporting from exhibits and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to secure administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian trade as a using teacher and yard supervisor.