ALL the leading players have had their say, but the time for the verbal sparring is nearly over because at a little after 2.35 this afternoon one horse will rightly be crowned the king of the British and Irish two mile division.
The Cheltenham Festival £220,000 Queen Mother Champion Chase has it all -12 fences to be jumped by 12 horses at breathtaking speed with no quarter asked or given. Not surprisingly the three market leaders are absolutely outstanding jumpers, Edredon Bleu, Flagship Uberalles, and Tiutchev.
And if you're unaware of their past performances, the last-named pair are both previous winners of the Arkle, while two years ago in a pulsating finale to the Queen Mother chase, Tony McCoy raised the roof by forcing Edredon Blue's head past Howard Johnson's Direct Route right on the line.
On this season's form Flagship Uberalles looks the pick having comprehensively beaten Edredon Bleu in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in January.
Meanwhile, a life-threatening bout of colic in February nearly robbed the race of Tiutchev, about whom his rider Mick FitzGerald insists "is fully recovered and right back to his best."
FitzGerald's word is good enough for me and it's Tiutchev's Formula 1 style cruising speed that will sway many punters in his favour, especially those who witnessed the selection take his prep race in a very fast time at Sandown on Saturday, February 2.
There's plenty of Northern interest with both Latalomne and Turgeonev in the line-up.
Brian Ellison has been particularly bullish about Latalomne, while Tim Easterby said: "Turgeonev should run a big race, I think he'll be in the first four." Although the pair are extremely useful, neither has achieved anything remotely near to that of the principals and for my money will only be playing for places at best.
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