Well Chief worthy Champion Chase favourite — Johnson
Johnson believes his comeback in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury proved he was as good as ever, and he will not have anything of the calibre of Moscow Flyer to come up against this year.
The eight-year-old finished second to Jessica Harrington’s great chaser in 2005 and Johnson is quietly confident David Pipe has trained his charge to the minute.
“He’s very well. Everyone has obviously seen the race at Newbury and David thought he wouldn’t be spot on for that,” said Johnson.
“He’s been tenderly handled, but at the moment he is very well and we are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets there in one piece. We are very hopeful that he will run a big race.
“David is not too dissimilar to his father, he is pretty conservative and he never counts his chickens before they hatch, but he tells me he is very well.
“I don’t think he has been out of the first two at Cheltenham and there is no indication to say that will happen this time. He is a worthy favourite at the head of the market and that is where he should be.
“The Queen Mother is one of the hardest races to win. You have the defending champion in Newmill, Nickname might come over, Voy Por Ustedes and I don’t know whether Monet’s Garden will run.
“I don’t think the winner will come from outside those, though,” he told At The Races.
“I haven’t backed the horse but I’m just thrilled that he is in one piece.”
