Aintree Bowl Chase

Aintree Bowl Chase Overview

The William Hill Aintree Bowl, as its name suggests, is run at Aintree Racecourse. It is usually the third race on the opening day of the three-day festival, which features the Grand National as its feature race. The Grade 1 race is run over an extended three miles on what is a flat turning track. The field jumps nineteen fences in total and the prize money on offer is usually in and around £140,000 to the winner. The race is open to those horses aged five and older.

Horses that win this race tend to be established Grade 1 performers. Before winning this last year, Gerri Colombe was a fine second to Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. In the years previous to that, Clan Des Obeaux would have run in the Denman Chase at Newbury Racecourse before coming into this. A small but select field is likely to be competing here, but it will be a top-class race, as always.

Aintree Bowl Chase Betting Trends and Statistics

• The leading trainer in the William Hill Aintree Bowl Chase in recent renewals is Paul Nicholls. He has won the race five times. His five winners came from What A Friend (2010), Silviniaco Conti (2014 & 2015) and Clan Des Obeaux (2021 & 2022).
• Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Bowl Chase are Nicky Henderson (2) and David Pipe (2).
• There are multiple leading jockeys in the Bowl Chase in recent renewals, with Harry Cobden and Nico de Boinville having all won the race twice.
• Harry Cobden’s winners have been with Clan Des Obeaux (2021 & 2022), whilst Nico de Boinville’s winners have been with Might Bite (2018) and Shishkin (2023).
• Horses that have been sent off as favourites for this race in recent years have won seven of the last ten renewals.
• French-bred horses have won four of the last five renewals.

Aintree Bowl Chase History

The race was first established in 1984. It was originally known as the Perrier-Jouët Champagne Cup and has been known by a few other names in the past, including the Martell Cup and Martell Cognac Gold Cup. The initial premise behind the race was that it was seen as a consolation prize for those horses that were either unsuccessful in winning or had been unable to run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

It had recently been sponsored by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. However, the title sponsor changed to Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph for the 2025 running. The race was upgraded to a Grade 1 fixture back in 2010.