Abscess rules Chacun Pour Soi out of Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, the highlight of day two of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, looks at the mercy of Defi Du Seuil after Chacun Pour Soi was declared a non-runner this morning.

Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old was taken out at 11.05am with a vet's certificate because of an abscess.

“Unfortunately Chacun Pour Soi is out of the Champion Chase," Mullins said. “He cantered on the course this morning and seemed fine but afterwards we discovered he had an abscess on a foot and after taking veterinary advice we decided to withdraw him.”

The Champion Chase had been billed as the clash of the week but on Tuesday defending champion Altior was ruled out after a weekend setback.

In the absence of his two rivals Defi Du Seuil is now a long odds-on favourite to land the Grade One prize.