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Shishkin vs Energumene: How to win the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival

The Champion Chase is almost upon us, as Shishkin takes on Energumene. Planet Sport's Jonathan Doidge walks the Cheltenham course with Festival winning jockey Dominic Elsworth to discuss the rematch.

It's the race everyone is talking about, the rematch. The precocious Energumene has another crack at the brilliant Shishkin in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Jonathan Doidge got the expert eye on how to ride the great race with former Festival winning jockey Dominic Elsworth as the duo surveyed the Cheltenham course on the opening day of the Festival.

And they're off!

Dominic Elsworth: "It's so important to get the start you want. That sets the tone for the race. If I was Paul Townend with the speed at his disposal, I'm sure I'd want to be handy. It will be a small field anyway but you want to bounce out, take control if you can, race at the pace you want to race at.

"The first two fences come up very quickly. You wouldn't want to get your fella unbalanced. Let him get into an early rhythm. If you have missed out, there's a longer run to the next, which does give you a chance to change things back in your favour. If you can't do that, there's no cause for panic."

Passing the Cheltenham stands

"You'll get the roar from the crowd. I suppose if anything I'd be a little more worried if I was Paul (Townend) on Energumene, as he looks like perhaps he gets a little more stoked up.

"However, I still think he will be fine by this point of the race and we'll probably see him up front, with Nico (de Boinville) with him in his sights a little further back."

Down the far side

"This is the Old Course. There's a fence as the leave the stands, which actually helps a bit compared to the New Course. Gives them something to think about. It's perhaps one of the easier fences and there are rarely any problems here.
"You've negotiated that and then you freewheel down the hill. Until you're actually out here on the track, I don't think you really appreciate this next bit.
"Energumene is likely to be up there taking them along. Paul won't want to fight him at this point but he'll also need to settle him approaching this. It's vital that you get into a good rhythm on this part of the course.
"If you can do that, you could save some vital energy for the run towards home. I'd see Energumene up there, Chacun Pour Soi somewhere handy, with the likes of Shishkin a little further back and something like Put The Kettle On held up."

The top of the hill

"They meet the last ditch in the last few yards before they get to the top of the hill. A mistake here could cost you. Think of Barry (Geraghty) on Moscow Flyer (he was travelling like the winner and unseated at this fence about 20 years ago).
"You still don't want to be asking questions of your mount, but you're just beginning to get a little bit more serious."
I'm going to interject here because, at the highest point of the track, when you look back towards home, see the stands in the distance and the three-quarters of a mile or so they have left to run, it has to be one of the finest sights at a sporting venue anywhere in the world. Anyway, back with Dominic Elsworth.

Down towards three out

"You may be travelling well but there is still a long way to go. Don't ride that finish too early. There used to be two fences on the downhill run but after falls, they have reduced it to one. You're beginning to sort yourselves out here.
"The front-runners like Energumene can refill their lungs for one last effort, if the jockey is able to let him do that. The hold up horses are beginning to take closer order. Nico will probably just be easing Shishkin into it here but you want to meet the third last on a good stride.
"This has claimed many victims over the years. As you look down at it, you can't see the landing side. You do as you get closer to it but to look down the hill it looks almost like you'll be jumping off the end of the world.
"At this point your horse is probably just getting a little bit tired. It's a Champion Chase. He's been racing for a mile and a half.

The closing stages

"Now you're waiting. Still waiting to see how the race is unfolding. Nico will be hoping that he still has Energumene in his sights. He won't want to have let him get an easy lead.
"You'll hear the roar of the crowd. Some horses don't like to be in front too soon, some are quite happy to gallop relentlessly along up front.
"Unless you're on that front running type, you probably want one in front of you, something to aim at.
"They'll swing a horse width or two out off the rail. Scraping paint around here isn't really the norm.

"Get a good stride pattern in towards the second last. Any mistake you make here will be magnified. Your horse is tiring now. Two good jumps and it could be yours."

The hill

"Generally you want to meet the last on a good, forward-going stride. You want to have saved a bit by good jumping on the way round, ready for the hill.

"If you miss the last then you've got the job of getting a half ton horse going again, when it's tired.

"The McCoys, the Geraghtys, the Walshes of this world were so good at getting their mounts to take the last on a forward-going stride and they keep that momentum going up to the line. It's going to be wonderful to see if all unfold in the Champion Chase and let's hope we get the big two, three or four all jumping the last together!"

Elsworth rode his Festival winner in the 2008 Plate on Mister McGoldrick, a good horse in his own right but who was allowed to start at 66/1 that day.
What does he remember of that winning feeling?
"He always took a chance. You'd always miss a fence with him. So it was very imperative to make sure he'd jump the last on a stride that I'd made him take.

"A couple of years before he'd nearly fallen at the last fence in the Champion Chase and in the Arkle, as well, he'd unseated me. He'd always dive at it when he was getting tired. All I really remember is making sure I got him in close to the last fence so he wouldn't take a chance, because I know I had quite a commanding lead, and it seemed to work."

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